MALACHY UZENDU, Abuja and KALU OKWARA, Lagos

He had been admitted to bail by a federal high court sitting in Abuja last week but had to wait for the bail condition to be met.

He was released from the Kuje medium prison, Abuja at about 2.30 pm yesterday.

The embattled ex-governor was arraigned along with his counterparts from Plateau and Jigawa states, Joshua Dariye and Saminu Turaki, respectively, before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arraigned on a 107-count charge, bordering on alleged corrupt enrichment and money laundering to the tune of N3.4 billion.

Confirming his release from the prison yesterday, his media adviser, Iyke Ekeoma in a statement, said the former governor had fulfilled all the bail conditions.

According to Ekeoma, the ex-governor, despite his travails, reaffirmed his faith in God and the judicial process in Nigeria, stressing that he did not bear any grudge against anybody over what he was passing through.

"Former governor Kalu described his travails as a means of strengthening democracy in the country. He said democracy in Nigeria must be nurtured for the benefit of the people, stressing that one must pay a certain price for leaderhip," Ekeoma said.

He, added that the former governor expressed gratitude to Nigerians, who through prayers, repeated visits and goodwill, extended their solidarity to him while in prison custody.

Efforts by the former governor and two others to secure their temporary freedom since last weekend when bail was granted had not been successful due to the stringent conditions attached.

However, on Tuesday, former minister of state for foreign affairs, Dubem Onyia personally went to the federal high court to sign necessary documents that led to Kalu stepping into freedom.

Onyia as well as Sen. Uche Chukwumerije (PPA-Abia North) and two unidentified traditional rulers from his state, signed the necessary court documents and provided the needed funds and other particulars.

Onyia had gone to the court premises at about 10 a.m. Tuesday and told our reporter that he was in the court to submit all documents required of him to secure Kalu’s freedom.

But having satisfied these conditions, Kalu, sources said, could not step into freedom on Tuesday as officials who were to sign the relevant documents were said to have closed for the day as at late Tuesday evening when a close aide to Kalu confirmed the development.

However, the release order from the court was said to have been issued for the ex-governor early yesterday morning, leading to efforts to get the relevant interior ministry officials, particularly the Nigerian Prisons Service officials to perform their part of the official rituals to consummate his release.

On hand to receive Kalu were some of his political associates including Onyia, Chukwumerije and a host of men and women politicians who came in their numbers.

Security had been beefed up at the prison, with stern-looking policemen and prison officials thoroughly scrutinizing visitors and keeping majority of the people who came to the place at bay.

Justice Murtala-Nyako who granted the bail stipulated last week that the bail was in the sum of N100 million for himself and each of his sureties who in addition, are to provide bank bonds in the like sum.

She also ordered that the sureties must have evidence of their tax Payment Certificate from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for three consecutive years, which must have been paid as and when due.

Besides, the former governor is to depose to a sworn affidavit stating the number of all countries he obtained its citizenship and to deposit all passports connected with those countries with the court.

He is also to provide two traditional rulers and to deposit his (Kalu) three recent passport photographs with the court.

Aside form these conditions, Kalu was directed to be reporting to the EFCC weekly and he is not to travel out of the FHC jurisdiction without the permission of the court.