Former Presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, has been released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after 12 days of incarceration.
Abati had, after honouring its invitation, been in EFCC detention facility in Abuja alongside former ministers of FCT, Bala Mohammed; Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; and State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro.
The quartet who served under former president Goodluck Jonathan had received solidarity visits from numerous chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party and prominent clerics while in detention.
According to a family source, Abati was released on Friday around 5pm.
The renowned columnist was detained last week over what EFCC sources claimed was in connection with the sharing of arms procurement funds by former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd)
Abati had since 8 days ago met all the bail conditions set by the EFCC
According to a family source who didn’t want to be named, the EFCC failed to release him for unexplained reasons.
This is contrary to information that went round that Abati had failed to meet his administrative bail conditions and that his friends had failed to come to his aid.
According to the source, Abati met his bail conditions after the solidarity visit by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
It was also learnt that the officials of the commission and Abati’s counsel revealed to family members that the commission has already started paper works for his release which were completed last Friday.
“The clarification became necessary for the purpose of diffusing all unconfirmed reports filling up spaces in the media of his inability to meet with his bail conditions and to also curb the inordinate practices that could retain him unnecessarily in the EFCC detention,” the source said.
