Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa visited the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday. This visit comes as the agency investigates the alleged mismanagement of derivation funds during his time in office.
A report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said sources noticed Mr Okowa at the EFCC’s Lagos Directorate 1 office on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, related to the ongoing investigation.
The former governor is under scrutiny for allegedly diverting funds meant for Delta State from the 13 percent derivation allocation from the Federation Account. This investigation covers the period from 2015 to 2023, when he was in charge.
The EFCC previously arrested Mr Okowa on November 4, 2024. He was questioned at the commission’s Port Harcourt Directorate about how the derivation funds were managed during his eight years as governor.
At that time, the EFCC was looking into claims that some of the funds went into private investments and asset acquisitions across the country. Sources from the commission noted that Okowa's recent visit was to discuss getting his international passport back so he could travel abroad for medical treatment.
It is still unclear if the EFCC accepted his request. The investigation is one of the agency's most closely monitored cases involving a former governor. While no charges have been filed against Mr Okowa, the probe has been ongoing since it became public in late 2024.
Mr Okowa was the vice-presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, running alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He has denied any wrongdoing and has stated he will cooperate with the investigators.
In April 2025, he switched from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) along with Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other political figures in the state. This move sparked discussions on whether the EFCC would continue its investigation, but the agency confirmed that the probe is still active.
Attempts to get a comment from the EFCC were not successful. The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, did not answer calls for comments by the time this report was filed.
The EFCC has not shared any details about the outcome of Monday’s meeting or whether a decision has been made regarding Mr Okowa’s request for his travel documents.
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