- Farouk Lawan, a former House of Representatives member, has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre after completing his jail sentence for bribery
- Initially sentenced to seven years in prison in June 2021, Lawan's sentence was later reduced to five years
- Lawan was convicted for soliciting and receiving a $500,000 bribe from businessman Femi Otedola
Farouk Lawan, a former House of Representatives member, has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre after completing his jail sentence.
Samson Duza, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in the Federal Capital Territory, confirmed this development on Tuesday, October 22.
“Yes, he has been released having served his sentence”, Duza confirmed on the phone.
Lawan thanks God upon release from prison
Lawan, in a statement after his release, thanked God and noted that this marks the dawn of a new phase in his journey.
He said, “I Thank Almighty Allah. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah.
Lawan was the representative for the Bagwai/Shanono constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life as I step out of Kuje Custodial Centre, with a heart full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through this trial.”
Lawan further said, “My gratitude is deep, I’m alive and in good health and high spirits to be with my family, friends and associates. I don’t take that for granted.
“I remain grateful and indebted to my family and friends who stood by me through this particularly trying phase of my life. May Allah bless you,” Lawan added.
Farouk Lawan, convicted for accepting $500,000 bribe from Otedola
Before his legal battles, Lawan had a prominent presence in the National Assembly and was known for his involvement in the selection of nearly every House Speaker before the 2015 elections.
Following the removal of the fuel subsidy in January 2012, which sparked widespread protests and strikes across the nation, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker led a parliamentary inquiry into the subsidy system, uncovering an estimated fraud of $6.8 billion.
In February 2013, Lawan faced allegations of soliciting $3 million from businessman Femi Otedola in exchange for removing Zenon Oil from a list of companies implicated in the nationwide petrol subsidy scandal.
Following the investigation, he was convicted of soliciting and receiving a $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, the head of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd.
Lawan was sentenced to seven years in prison in June 2021; however, this sentence was later decreased to five years by the appellate court, a decision confirmed by the Supreme Court in January 2024.
“Just a big shame”: Nigerians react to alleged bribery scandal involving EFCC and Bobrisky
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigerians expressed doubts about the integrity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following bribery claims involving the anti-graft commission.
TheRadar compiled reactions from the public in the report.