Before the arrest, Mr. Turaki had been declared wanted for failing to present himself for trial since 2011 on a 36-count charge of corruption before the Federal High Court, Dutse.
A former governor of Jigawa State, Senator Saminu Turaki, was arrested on Tuesday by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He was picked up at an Abuja venue holding a public presentation of a book on Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, the first regular combatant officer in the Nigerian Army.
Before the arrest, Mr. Turaki had been declared wanted for failing to present himself for trial since 2011 on a 36-count charge of corruption before the Federal High Court, Dutse.
The court had issued a warrant directing the Inspector General of Police or his officers, as well as the EFCC, to arrest the former governor and bring him to court. Justice S. Yahuza gave the order after Mr. Turaki consistently failed to attend his trial.
But attempts to execute the warrant failed, as Mr. Turaki remained elusive. On May 19, 2016 operatives of the EFCC, acting on a tip-off, stormed the 16 Denis Osadebey Street Asokoro, Abuja home of the former governor, but he slipped through their hands.
Mr. Turaki faces multiple charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.
