Ex-Lawmaker Farouk Lawan Released After Serving Jail Term.
Former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja after completing a five-year prison sentence for demanding and accepting a $500,000 bribe. His release was confirmed by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.
Lawan expressed his gratitude in a statement shortly after his release, saying, “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 SWT for seeing me through this trial.” He further expressed appreciation for his health and high spirits, and thanked his family, friends, and associates for their unwavering support during what he described as a particularly challenging phase of his life.
Lawan’s conviction stems from a 2012 bribery scandal, during which he received $500,000 while serving as the chairman of the House’s ad-hoc committee tasked with investigating fuel subsidy fraud. In 2021, the FCT High Court sentenced him to seven years in prison, but the term was reduced to five years following legal proceedings.
Further details are expected to follow.
