* He Has Left The Commission's Custody...Media Aide
By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief) @CeleOkaf11
. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday afternoon April 15, 2021, offered administrative bail to Senator Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo state and the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
Okorocha was arrested at his "Unity House" Abuja private office on Tuesday evening at about 4 pm, on a suspected case of money laundering and associated graft offences. He was detained and interrogated by the anti-graft Commission since Tuesday. Although, details of what transpired, so far, between the EFCC and Okorocha is yet to known by Nigerian NewsLeader, as at press time.
Even with the administrative bail granted to the lawmaker, NewsLeader could not get actual confirmation from the EFCC as at 7:20 pm this Thursday evening, on whether Senator Okorocha had actually left the EFCC facility in Abuja.
But the spokesman of the Commission, Wilson Uwugiaren, told Nigerian NewsLeader on enquiry this Thursday evening, at exactly 7:25 pm, when he closed for work and had left the premises, that he could not confirm if Rochas has actually left the EFCC headquarters.
"What l can confirm to you now is that he (Okorocha) has been given administrative bail, but l don't know at this moment whether he is still around (at the EFCC) because l just left the office now", Uwugiaren told NewsLeader.
However, Media Assistant to the Senator, Sam Onwuemeodo, in a statement made available at 7pm.on Thursday, announced that "Rochas Okorocha, has gone home from the EFCC office" .
The media aide stated that "With Gratitude to God Almighty, we are delighted to inform the general public that , the former governor of lmo state, and by the GRACE OF GOD, the Senator representing lmo West Senatorial District, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, is out of the office of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC and he is now in his house .
"He left the Commission's office, on the afternoon of Thursday, April 15, 2021.
"It should be recalled that, we had, in our reaction to his trip to the EFCC office on the invitation of the Commission, assured that the former lmo State governor, would fully cooperate with the agents of the Commission , since it was operating within the armbit of the law establishing it.
"And we are happy to inform that, the Distinguished Senator, lived upto that vow or promise. We didn't bother about whether he spent 24 hours or 48 hours at the Commission's office. We were only keen in his having the needed opportunity to address the allegations contained in the avalanche of petitions written by the lmo State Government, against the former governor.
"Remember also that, we had alluded that, EFCC was not a slaughterhouse, but a responsible lnstitution, established for the good of the nation and her people. And Okorocha being in his house today, only confirmed our hypothesis that, indeed, the Commission's office is not an abattoir.
"We thank Nigerians who had called or sent messages of solidarity, encouragement and support for the Senator. We thank those who had also done same, from outside the Country.
"For lmo people who had organised themselves in groups, offering prayers of intercession, we say to them , thank you. May the Good LORD, continue to bless them all.
"To the media, may God grant you all, all you need to grow from strength to strength.
"We also pray for EFCC and its management. Together, we must change the growing perspection on the side of some Nigerians, that once any public figure is at the EFCC, either by invitation or by arrest, it is something ominous. That should not be the case.
"Finally, , we shall continue to be law abiding.
Thank you", the statement read. NNL.
