Obiano will appear before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, over alleged money laundering to the tune of N4 billion.
The ex-governor, a chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), will be arraigned on nine-count charges.
This comes a week after the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, vowed to revisit all abandoned high-profile cases, especially those involving former governors and ministers.
An impeccable source revealed: “We found that Obiano moved N4,008,573,350 from security votes into different accounts. The money at various times was changed into dollars and returned to Obiano by cash.”
EFCC’s lead counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, will lead eight other lawyers in the trial of the former governor.
Confirming the development, the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, noted that Obiano will be arraigned today.
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“Yes, we’re arraigning Obiano tomorrow,” Oyewale said.
The embattled former governor was first arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was preparing to board a flight to Houston, the United States of America.
The arrest took place at about 8.30 pm, hours after he left office as governor and, thus, lost his immunity from arrest and prosecution.
He had been on the EFCC’s watchlist for some time before he was eventually arrested over corruption allegations.
“Obiano was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds, including, N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security vote which was withdrawn in cash.
‘’Part of the funds was also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state,” EFCC had noted at the time.’’
