The federal high court in Abuja on Monday granted former Nigerian lawmaker Shehu Sani N10 million bail.

Sani was arraigned on a two-count charge of bribery brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He pleaded not guilty when the counts were read to him.

EFCC arrested the former senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, on Tuesday, December 24 2019.

Sani, according to the EFCC, was arrested for allegedly extorting $10,000 from a businessman, Sani Dauda, owner of ASD Motors who has a case pending with the anti-graft agency.

“The EFCC operators are quizzing him over the allegations of scamming some people and allegedly dropping the name of the EFCC boss before suspects who have cases with the commission,” media and publicity adviser to EFCC boss Tony Amokeodo said in a statement.

“The senator was said to have told the complainant that he would resolve his case with the EFCC.”

Amokeodo said Sani collected the money on the grounds that he is very close to the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu.

He added that the senator is currently being quizzed by the commission over the allegation of name dropping and using Magu’s name to allegedly scam suspects who have cases with the commission.

Amokeodo stated that the complainant said Senator Sani told him that he is close to the EFCC boss and allegedly demanded $20,000 to pass to Magu in order to resolve the issue.

Before being charged by the EFCC, Sani had denied all allegations against him.

Asides Magu, Sani was also accused of collecting money from Dauda for chief justice of Nigeria Tanko Mohammed and other judges to influence the judgement of his pending case at the Supreme Court.

CJN Mohammed denied being connected to Sani as alleged by the EFCC.