Farouk Lawan, a former House of Representatives member, has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja after completing a five-year jail term for bribery. Lawan, once a powerful figure in Nigerian politics, was convicted for accepting a $500,000 bribe from billionaire businessman Femi Otedola during a 2012 investigation into the petrol subsidy scam.
Lawan’s Downfall: The $500,000 Bribery Scandal
Lawan, who chaired the House ad-hoc committee investigating the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy fraud, fell from grace after a video surfaced showing him collecting cash from Otedola. The footage captured Lawan tucking wads of cash under his traditional Babbanriga attire, in exchange for removing Otedola’s Zenon Petroleum from the list of indicted companies in the subsidy fraud. Originally, Lawan had solicited a $3 million bribe.
Conviction and Legal Battle
In 2021, Lawan was sentenced to seven years in prison by Justice Angela Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. However, his sentence was later reduced to five years by the Court of Appeal in 2022, after two of the three bribery counts were dismissed. The Supreme Court upheld the final ruling in January 2024, sealing his fate on the remaining count.
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Lawan Speaks: “A New Chapter Begins”
Speaking after his release, Lawan expressed deep gratitude to Allah and his family, stating, “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life… I am grateful to Allah for seeing me through this trial and to my family and friends for their unwavering support.”
Lawan’s scandal is one of the most high-profile cases in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against corruption, especially within the oil sector, which is a major source of national revenue. The case sent shockwaves across the country, drawing attention to the level of corruption in the subsidy regime. It remains a stark reminder of the challenges Nigeria faces in rooting out corruption.
