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Kalu, like his former colleagues, Alhaji Saminu Turaki (Jigawa) and Chief Joshua Dariye (Plateau), had been admitted to bail since last weekend but had been battling to meet the stringent conditions attached by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako.
Kalu left the prison yard around 2pm.Turaki and Dariye were still battling to meet the bail conditions by last night.
Immediately Kalu was released, his supporters began shouting "leader you are welcome,” “to hell with your persecutors” and other abusive words against some notable personalities in the country.
He made his way through the crowd into a car and after about 25 minutes of rejoicing with his people, he was driven out of the prison compound in a convoy to the Abia Liaison Office, Asokoro.
Efforts by the other former governors to secure freedom since last weekend when the bails were granted had been unsuccessful due to the rigid conditionality.
But the road to freedom for Kalu began on Tuesday when former minister of state for foreign affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia, personally came to the Federal High Court to sign the necessary documents for the former governor’s release.
Onyia, Senator Uche Chukwumerije and two unidentified traditional rulers from Abia State came to bail Kalu out and signed the necessary court documents and provided the needed bonds and other particulars for the release.
Onyia came to the court around 10.00 am Tuesday and expressed that he was in the court to submit all documents required of him to secure Orji's freedom.
But having satisfied these conditions, Kalu, sources said, could not step into freedom as the officials who were to sign the relevant documents were said to have gone home as at late Tuesday evening when a close aide of Kalu confirmed the development.
However, the release order from the court was said to have been granted to the ex-governor early on Wednesday morning, leading to efforts to get the relevant Ministry of Internal Affairs officials particularly officials of the Nigerian Prison Service to perform their part for the release.
That process was completed around 2.30 pm after which the Controller of the Kuje Prisons perfected the necessary documentation before Kalu secured his bail.
On hand to receive Kalu were some of his political associates including Onyia and Senator Chukwumerije and a host of other politicians.
Security has however been beefed up at Kuje Prisons with stern-looking policemen and prison officials thoroughly scrutinizing visitors and warding off most of the people who come to the place.
Besides, the former governor was to depose to an affidavit stating the number of all countries he obtained its citizenship and to deposit all passports connected with those countries with the court.
He was to provide two traditional rulers and to deposit his (Kalu) three recent passport photographs with the court.
Kalu was directed to be reporting to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a weekly basis and he is not to travel out of the Federal High Court jurisdiction without the permission of the court.
Speaking through his media adviser, Iyke Ekeoma, in a statement last night, Kalu expressed his gratitude to all Nigerians, who through prayers, repeated visits and goodwill messages showed him solidarity while in prison custody.
He said his will had not been broken and that he remained in very good health.
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