Former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, has been released from the Kuje Custodial Centre after completing his prison sentence.
The spokesman for the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Adamu Duza, confirmed the development, stating, “Yes, he has been released having served his sentence.”
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Lawan, expressing his gratitude, said, “I thank Almighty Allah. Alhamdulillah. 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 for seeing me through this trial. 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.”
Lawan also extended his appreciation to his family and friends for their unwavering support during what he described as a “particularly trying phase” of his life.
Before his legal troubles, Lawan was a prominent figure in Nigeria’s National Assembly, elected four times to represent the Bagwai/Shanono constituency of Kano State. He was influential in shaping the leadership of the House of Representatives, particularly through his role in the “Integrity Group,” which led to the impeachment of former Speaker Patricia Etteh.
Lawan also chaired the parliamentary inquiry into the controversial fuel subsidy regime following the removal of the subsidy in January 2012, during which he investigated an alleged $6.8 billion scam.
In February 2013, Lawan was accused of soliciting a $3 million bribe from businessman Femi Otedola to remove Zenon Petroleum from the list of companies implicated in the fuel subsidy scam. He was convicted of accepting $500,000 from Otedola and was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2021, though the sentence was later reduced to five years by an appellate court. The Supreme Court upheld the reduced sentence in January 2024.
