The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized the former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s international passport.
Okowa was detained by the anti-corruption agency on November 4, 2024, on suspicion of misappropriating a N1.3 trillion derivation fund.
The N1.3 trillion represents a 13 percent derivation fund from the federation account allocated between 2015 and 2023.
He is also accused of not providing records of the funds, as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed was used to buy shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.
Okowa is additionally alleged to have purchased N40 billion worth of shares in a prominent Nigerian bank, securing an eight percent equity to support the offshore LNG project.
According to sources within the commission, Okowa visited the EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he was then taken into custody by commission officials.
An insider familiar with the case, though not authorized to speak publicly, revealed that Okowa was released last Wednesday after fulfilling his bail requirements.
According to the source, one of the requirements was for him to hand over his travel documents to the agency until the matter is resolved.
“Okowa is no longer in our custody. He was released last Wednesday after meeting his bail conditions, which include depositing his travel documents with the commission, pending the conclusion of our investigations of the allegations against him.
“The sum allegedly is too huge to take risks. And what we have done is not out of place. This is to prevent anyone under investigation from jumping the bail he/she had been granted,” he said.
Numerous attempts to reach the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, by phone went unanswered.
He also had not replied to a message about the issue at the time this report was filed.
Commenting on his trial, Okowa called the accusation of misappropriating N1.3 trillion in oil derivation funds during his tenure both absurd and completely untrue.
During a visit at his Asaba residence on Tuesday from the national leadership of the Urhobo Progress Union, headed by President General Chief Ese Owe, Okowa stated that he was unbothered by the EFCC’s invitation.
The former governor, making his first public comments on the matter since returning from responding to the EFCC’s summons, expressed confidence in his eventual exoneration.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifejika, he revealed that the petitioners were motivated by trivial political interests but affirmed his commitment to supporting Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in fulfilling the mandate entrusted to him by the people of Delta.
“It was a petition written several months ago, but unfortunately, with the politics of our time, some people decided to ensure that Okowa must be invited by the EFCC.
“People are genuinely uncomfortable about Okowa and I was actually invited and I went there by myself and the first thing I saw was that they said I misappropriated N1.3tn. I said, do you know the kind of money you are talking about?
“To successfully take N1.3tn, it means you have to be taking between N16bn and N20bn every month into your pocket. I don’t even know if the President of this country will be able to do that, not to talk of the governor of Delta State.
“They have forgotten that the first in three years we came into office – 2015, 2016 and 2017 – the money that was coming into the state was not even enough to pay salaries at all.
“Some local governments like Ethiope East were owing as much as 15 months salaries and even in the state here, some people were getting half salaries.
“Delta State is the highest salary-paying state in this nation; our salaries grew to the level that salaries and pensions went up to over N11bn in a month.
“There are some states whose total staff strength is less than 18,000, but here in Delta, we have over 56,000 workers,” he said.
The former governor added, “Workers always received their salaries promptly while we also embarked on all the projects that were done, and nobody thinks about it, especially the projects we did in the riverine areas. But, I know that the people are not happy with those who wrote the petition.”
He said, “Personally, I am not against investigation because the EFCC has to do its job, and I know that I have done everything how it ought to be done.
“For every allegation, they will investigate, and when they have found the truth, they will stop, but for those who sent a wrong communication, it is rather unfortunate.
“I just pray for them because when you allow yourself to be used as a tool when evil starts to come, the impact will be so much, but I pray that God will forgive them.
“I know that by the special grace of God, we have done the things we ought to do to the best of our ability and by the special grace of God, Governor Oborevwori is beginning to do a lot.
“I believe that by next year, he will do a lot more. So, let me assure you that I will continue to support the UPU and the governor of the state as much as I can because I know that he has a lot to offer this state.”
He commended the UPU for its support to him over the years, saying, “I thank the UPU and the Urhobos because they supported me a lot and they also believe in equity because I always got more votes from them than their sons who contested against me.”
Previously, the President-General of the UPU mentioned that their visit was intended to express gratitude to the former governor for his support in helping their son, Oborevwori, become the state’s governor.
The PUNCH
