Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, has been released by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after spending several days in custody.
Sources familiar with the matter said Abdul-Wahab regained his freedom on Wednesday evening, July 8, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m. His release was reportedly unconditional.
The former NAFCO boss was re-arrested by EOCO on Saturday, July 4, at the Accra International Airport shortly before he was due to travel to the United Kingdom. Investigators alleged that he attempted to use false representations to gain access to a Republic Bank account that had been frozen as part of ongoing investigations.
His arrest sparked renewed legal arguments between the Attorney-General’s Office and his legal team, with both sides disputing the legality of the detention and the circumstances surrounding the airport arrest.
Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, had earlier indicated that the Attorney-General intended to apply to the High Court to review the order that permitted Abdul-Wahab to travel outside the country.
Abdul-Wahab has remained at the centre of investigations into alleged financial irregularities linked to his tenure at NAFCO. He and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, were previously charged alongside several others over alleged financial offences involving the state-owned company.
Those charges were later withdrawn after the Attorney-General’s Office said new evidence had emerged, resulting in the discharge of all the accused persons by the court.
Despite that development, EOCO subsequently re-arrested Abdul-Wahab and his wife, a move that generated public debate over whether the action complied with due legal process.
The former NAFCO CEO has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining his innocence throughout the investigations. His lawyers have also questioned the state’s handling of the case, arguing that his rights were violated during the latest arrest.
Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, who is part of Abdul-Wahab’s legal team, has rejected the Attorney-General’s explanation for the airport arrest. According to him, no application had been filed to challenge or review the High Court’s travel order before EOCO took his client into custody, describing the state’s justification as misleading.
EOCO, however, has maintained that its actions were lawful and carried out in accordance with due process. Investigations into the matter are expected to continue.
