On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will arraign Willie Obiano, the immediate Former Governor of Anambra State, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on allegations of N4,008,573,350 in suspected money laundering.

According to information received on Tuesday, January 22, 2024, they stated that they will charge the Former Governor on nine counts.

This comes more than a week after Ola Olukoyede, the Chairman of the EFCC, promised to examine all high-profile cases that were dropped, particularly those involving Former Governors and Ministers.

“We found that Obiano moved N4,008,573,350 from security votes into different accounts,” an immaculate source disclosed. The funds were converted into dollars at different points in time and given back to Obiano in cash.

Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, the Chief Attorney for the EFCC, will oversee eight other Attorneys throughout the former governor’s trial.

Some charges against Obiano include, “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the Executive Governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 7th February, 2018 to 18th February, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then Principal Private Secretary, the sum of N156,800.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc into the Fidelity Bank Plc Account No: 6060018819 belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the Security Affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the situation on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. He also said that Obiano will be arraigned on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

“Yes, Obiano will be arraigned tomorrow,” stated Oyewale.

On March 17, 2022, the Former Governor was initially taken into custody at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while getting ready to catch an aircraft to Houston, Texas.

At about 7:30 p.m., he was arrested, hours after he resigned as governor and lost his protection from being detained or charged with fraud.

Before being detained on charges of corruption, he had been on the EFCC’s watchlist for a while.

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Obiano was detained on suspicion of embezzling N5 billion in Sure-P and N37 billion in security votes that were taken out in cash. The EFCC had reported at the time that a portion of the monies had also reportedly been used to bankroll political activities in the State.