FORMER Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has reportedly sought the release of his international passport from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as part of efforts to travel abroad for medical treatment.
News Point Nigeria reports that sources within the anti-graft agency disclosed that the former governor recently visited the commission’s office on Awolowo Road, Lagos, in connection with ongoing discussions regarding the retrieval of his travel document.
According to the sources, Okowa’s visit was not related to a fresh arrest but formed part of the continuing investigation into allegations against him. They explained that the former governor was seeking access to his passport to enable him attend to medical issues outside the country.
One source familiar with the development said the former governor’s presence at the Lagos office was specifically linked to efforts to secure the release of the document.
“No, he was not arrested; he was at the commission’s Lagos office as part of the ongoing investigation into his case.
“Also, he made moves to secure the release of his international passport to attend to some medical issues abroad,” the source said.
However, it could not be immediately confirmed whether the former governor succeeded in obtaining the passport from the commission.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the EFCC were unsuccessful, as the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, did not respond to calls placed to his telephone line as of the time of filing this report.
The EFCC has retained Okowa’s international passport since his arrest on November 4, 2024, over allegations involving the diversion of N1.3 trillion in 13 per cent derivation funds received by Delta State from the Federation Account between 2015 and 2023.
The anti-graft agency is also investigating claims that the former governor failed to account for the funds, as well as another N40 billion allegedly used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas and a major commercial bank.
Okowa was arrested in Port Harcourt and subsequently questioned at the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the commission before being granted bail after meeting the conditions set by the EFCC.
The allegations remain under investigation, although the former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Responding to the allegations after his release, Okowa dismissed claims that he diverted the funds, arguing that the figures being mentioned were unrealistic.
“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 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,” he said.
Attempts to obtain comments from the former governor through one of his associates, Charles Aniagwu, were unsuccessful as of the time this report was filed.