The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested immediate past Anambra Governor Willie Obiano at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Obiano was reportedly arrested around 8.30pm on Thursday, hours after he handed over to Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
It was gathered the former Governor was on his way to Houston, Texas in the United States.
EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren confirmed the arrest.
The EFCC had placed Obiano on a watchlist list since November last year.
The EFCC had requested the Nigeria Immigration Service to inform it anytime the Governor is travelling out of the country from any of the international airports, as well as other points of entry and exit.
It is, however, not yet clear why the anti-graft agency placed the governor on a watchlist.
Channels Television reports that the move was an indication that the agency have been discreetly investigating the governor and possibly have intelligence that he was planning to escape after handing over power to his successor, Professor Charles Soludo, on March 16, 2022.
Former Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Don Adinuba, had, at the time, condemned the EFCC watchlist reports, claiming that they were politically motivated.
“Governor Obiano has a whole four months to remain in office as the Anambra State chief executive,” Adinuba said.
“Nobody in Nigeria can circumscribe his constitutionally conferred immunity which shields him from both criminal and civil prosecution.
“The EFCC went too far to announce in November that it is observing him. We are not aware of any state governor who had up to four months to be in office and the EFCC went on to sponsor media reports that he was being investigated.”
