Former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan has been released after serving his jail term at the Kuje Custodial Centre. Adamu Duza, spokesman for the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), confirmed his release to Vanguard, stating, “Yes, he has been released having served his sentence.”
In a statement following his release, Lawan expressed gratitude to God, stating, “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 continued, “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. I remain grateful and indebted to my family and friends who stood by me through this particularly trying phase of my life. May Allah bless you.”
Before his legal troubles, Lawan was a significant figure in the National Assembly, influencing the election of various Speakers of the House up until 2015. As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman of the “Integrity Group,” he played a key role in the impeachment of former Speaker Patricia Etteh.
Lawan served four terms in the House, having been elected in 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011. He also chaired a parliamentary inquiry into the fuel subsidy regime during the nationwide protests in early 2012, which revealed an estimated $6.8 billion scam