The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned the international passports of former Minister, Musiliu Obanikoro and former Osun State Deputy Governor, Iyiola Omisore.
The Punch reported that shortly after he recovered his Nigerian and American passports from the anti-graft body, Obanikoro travelled to the United States purportedly for medical treatment.
The EFCC had in 2016 accused Obanikoro of obtaining N4.7 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
He was further accused of sharing N1.3 billion of the said fund to former Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose while he was seeking a second term in 2014 and another N1,3 billion to Omisore, who contested as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in 2014.
However, Obanikoro and Omisore have reportedly refunded N100 million and N300 million respectively out of the amounts they allegedly obtained although their passports were seized.
Obanikoro, who was a PDP chieftain when he allegedly received the funds from the ONSA, has since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a decision that is believed to have influenced the release of his passport.
Also, Omisore, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, entered into an agreement with the APC in the rerun of the Osun gubernatorial election in September which ensured victory for the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.
The terms of the agreement were not made public, but it is believed to have influenced the decision to return Omisore’s passport.
Meanwhile, Fayose, who is also accused of sharing from the slush funds from the ONSA, remains in EFCC custody six days after voluntarily turning himself in to the commission.
Read Also: EFCC Files 11 Charges against Fayose, See Full List