Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has reportedly approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical attention.
Sources familiar with the matter disclosed that the former governor recently visited the anti-graft agency’s office on Awolowo Road in Lagos as part of efforts to secure the document, which has remained in the custody of the commission since his arrest in November 2024.
According to insiders, Okowa’s visit was not related to a fresh arrest but was connected to ongoing investigations into allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure as governor.
“He was not arrested. He visited the commission’s Lagos office regarding the ongoing investigation and also made efforts to obtain the release of his international passport for medical treatment abroad,” a source said.
As of the time of filing this report, it remained unclear whether the EFCC had approved the request and returned the travel document.
Attempts to obtain an official response from the EFCC were unsuccessful, as the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for comment.
The EFCC has been investigating Okowa over allegations involving the diversion of about N1.3 trillion in 13 percent derivation funds received by Delta State between 2015 and 2023. The agency is also probing claims that an additional N40 billion was allegedly invested in shares of UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas and a major commercial bank without proper accountability.
Okowa was arrested in Port Harcourt on November 4, 2024, and was later granted bail after meeting conditions imposed by the anti-corruption agency.
The former governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as unrealistic. Following his release, he argued that the scale of the alleged diversion was implausible.
“To take N1.3 trillion would mean moving between N16 billion and N20 billion every month for personal use. That is not realistic,” he said, adding that Delta State faced severe financial constraints during the early years of his administration, making such allegations difficult to comprehend.
Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
