The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, who was arrested on Tuesday over corruption allegations.
The release of the former Speaker of the House of Reps was disclosed via a statement issued by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Saturday.
Uwujaren stated that Etteh was released on Friday after she met her bail conditions.
He said: “Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on suspicious and shady financial involvement with Phil Jin Projects Limited, has been released by the Commission.
“She was released on Friday, May 20, 2022 upon fulfilling bail conditions offered her by investigators working on her matter.
“She is to report periodically to assist further investigations,” the EFCC spokesperson stated.
The Star had earlier reported that the former Speaker was arrested by the operatives of the anti-graft agency over a shady contract worth N240m awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
READ ALSO: N130m NDDC contract kickback lands Etteh in EFCC net
Etteh, who was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House of Reps, represented the Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Constituency of Osun State from 1999 to 2011.
She later resigned and was replaced by Dimeji Bankole.
It was however gathered that Etteh was arrested by the EFCC after she allegedly received N130m through her personal account from Phil Jin Project Limited, a firm which was awarded a N240m contract by the NDDC in 2011.
Officials of the EFCC disclosed that Etteh had been unable to explain why the firm transferred N130m to her out of the money.
A top EFCC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Etteh is currently in our custody. What happened was that in 2011, the NDDC awarded a contract of N240m to Phil Jin Project Limited for the supply of solar-powered street lights in some communities in Akwa Ibom.”
