The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released on bail the eight former local government chairmen arrested in Ondo State over alleged misappropriation of billions of naira.

The erstwhile council chiefs, detained at the Benin zone of the EFCC, were released over the weekend following several interventions from both the Edo and Ondo governments.

A competent source confirmed the release of the council bosses to Peoples Gazette on Monday, saying they were granted administrative bail.

“The LG chairmen were released after being granted administrative bail late Saturday night. It was a whole lot of intervention from the Edo government through its counterpart in Ondo State.

“Don’t forget that the council chiefs were invited following petitions from some workers in their LGAs over misappropriation of funds. The EFCC had earlier invited the heads of administration and treasurers in the councils, but they ignored the invitation without any reason.

“It was important that the LGA chairmen shield light on the documents and financial dealings that took place, specifically in the year 2017 during the transition of power in the state,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, hinted.

An erstwhile secretary of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the state, who pleaded not to be named, also confirmed the release of the chairmen, saying they had been told to return in a few weeks for further questioning.

“They have been granted bail, but it is not the end. Some of them would still report back to the EFCC to face questions over the financial transaction,” he said.

When contacted, one of the council chiefs declined to comment on the matter, asking The Gazette to contact the EFCC for details.

Dele Oyewale, a spokesman for the EFCC, could not be reached for comments on Monday.

Meanwhile, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s chief press secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, did not immediately respond to calls to seek comments on the release of the council chiefs.

Last week, the LGA chairmen were invited and grilled by the anti-graft agency following petitions from some local government workers who wrote the EFCC over “fraudulent transactions” that took place in their respective councils in the year 2017.