Agents from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly arrested Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, a former Governor of Delta State, on Monday, November 4.
He was detained due to allegations of misappropriating funds. Okowa is from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was Alhaji Atiku Abubakar‘s vice presidential candidate in the last general election in 2023.
The anti-corruption agency took the former governor into custody for allegedly misusing N1.3 trillion, which is believed to be part of the 13% special derivation fund designated for oil-producing states.
These funds were reportedly misappropriated from 2015 to 2023 during his 8-year tenure as governor of the oil-rich Niger Delta state.
According to the report, Okowa was arrested in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, after appearing at the EFCC office following a summons regarding this issue.
He was explicitly under investigation for another N40 billion, supposedly linked to the purchase of shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas, a project being developed by UTM Offshore Limited in Akwa Ibom State.
The former governor is accused of not justifying the use of the funds.
Additionally, the anti-corruption agency is looking into claims that Okowa diverted funds “to purchase properties in Abuja and Asaba.”
It is not unusual for Nigeria’s anti-graft agency to question ex-governors after they leave office. In the 25 years of the fourth republic, only three governors have been jailed for corruption. All three were later pardoned and released.
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