COURT GRANTS FAROUK LAWAN BAIL

An Abuja High Court has granted bail to the former Chairman of House of Representative Ad Hoc Committee on fuel subsidy payments, Farouk Lawan, and the secretary of the committee, Boniface Emenalo. The two men have been in held in prison for about a week. They are being prosecuted by the Federal Government for collecting $620, 000 (N93 million) as bribe from business man, Femi Otedola, to remove his company, Zenon Oil, from the list of indicted companies.

KANO REPS VISIT LAWAN IN KUJE PRISON

Members of the House of Representatives from Kano state yesterday paid a solidarity visit to Hon. Farouk Lawan at the Kuje Prisons in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

There are 24 members of the House of Representatives from Kano state made up of 13 PDP, 8 ANPP, 2 CPC and one ACN.

One of the lawmakers, who made the trip confirmed to our correspondent that they were on their way to Kuje to see Lawan.

Lawan, a four-term lawmaker, is the oldest serving lawmaker from Kano.  He was elected in 1999 and has since been in the House.

FIRST DAY IN JAIL: FAROUK, EMENALO REJECT PRISON FOOD

A member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, and the Secretary of the Ad Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime, Boniface Emenalo, who are being detained at Kuje Prison, Abuja, on a court order, are enjoying special treatment that includes food cooked outside the prison wall.

Both of them are being kept in a ‘choice cell’ befitting their status as Very Important Personalities.

It was learnt that Lawan had remained reserved and withdrawn on being booked into the prison by officials.

Our correspondent gathered that his relations were making plans to reach an understanding with the management of the prison to allow them bring in a new mattress for the lawmaker.

REPS FAROUK LAWAN, BONIFACE EMENALO REMANDED IN PRISON

Lawan Farouk and Boniface Emenalo, both Chairman and Secretary of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Adhoc Committee for the probe of the oil subsidy regime were on Friday arraigned before an Abuja High Court on a seven count charge for allegedly soliciting for and obtaining the sum of $620,000 from businessman Femi Otedola, chairman of Zenon Oil.

Both lawmakers pleaded not guilty to the charge.

BRIBERY SCANDAL: FG ARRAIGNS FAROUK LAWAN TODAY

The federal government will today arraign the former chairman of the House of Representative Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Hon. Farouk Lawan, and the secretary of the committee, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, before an Abuja High Court for allegedly receiving $620, 000 bribe from a businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola, to remove his two oil firms, Zenon Petroleum and Forte Gas Ltd, from the list of companies indicted in the fuel subsidy scam.

Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja High Court has granted the federal government the permission to prefer a criminal charge under Section 185 (b) of the Criminal Procedure Code against Lawan and his co-accused.