Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has reportedly approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to secure the release of his international passport, which has remained in the custody of the agency amid an ongoing investigation.
Sources within the anti-graft commission disclosed that Okowa visited the EFCC office on Awolowo Road, Lagos, to discuss the possibility of retrieving the travel document to allow him seek medical attention abroad.
The former governor was said not to have been arrested during the visit, but was at the Lagos office as part of ongoing engagements over the investigation involving him.
A source said Okowa’s request was specifically linked to his need to travel outside the country for medical reasons, although it was unclear whether the passport had been released to him.
The EFCC has kept custody of Okowa’s passport since his arrest on November 4, 2024, over allegations bordering on the alleged diversion of N1.3tn in 13 per cent derivation funds received by Delta State from the Federation Account between 2015 and 2023.
The commission is also investigating claims that the former governor failed to account for the funds and another N40bn allegedly used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas and a commercial bank.
Okowa was initially arrested in Port Harcourt and later granted bail after fulfilling the conditions set by the EFCC.
The allegations against him remain under investigation, while the former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Defending himself after his release, Okowa questioned the feasibility of the allegations, arguing that diverting such an amount would require taking billions of naira monthly.
He said the state’s financial situation during the early years of his administration made such claims unrealistic, noting that revenues at the time were barely enough to meet salary obligations.
Attempts to get comments from the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, and Okowa’s associates were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
