The commission also arrested and detained Okowa in November 2024 for the alleged diversion of the funds, said to be part of the 13 percent derivation fund earmarked for oil-rich states.
Delta State Accountant General, Mrs. Joy Enwa, one Ekeruche, former Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the director of administration, Government House, Asaba who were earlier arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), are to report back to the commission in the second week of January, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The embattled accountant general, former DFA and Government House director of administration, Asaba were arrested, detained and later released by the EFCC in December 2024 amid the commission's ongoing investigation into the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion state funds by former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
The commission also arrested and detained Okowa in November 2024 for the alleged diversion of the funds, said to be part of the 13 percent derivation fund earmarked for oil-rich states.
The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, who had confirmed the arrest and detention, stated that the former Delta governor and former vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was taken into custody by the Port Harcourt division of the anti-graft agency.
Okowa was alleged to have used his office as governor to loot and acquire assets amounting to N1.3 trillion. Some of the assets were shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas Company, among other investments in the oil sector.
The National Bureau of Statistics had reported how the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared funds among the oil-rich states.
Shortly after Okowa was released from EFCC detention, a series of solidarity visits by individuals, different groups, traditional rulers and ethnic nationality bodies were allegedly sponsored to deceive the world that the former governor was loved by his people.
It was however gathered that the solidarity visits to the former governor infuriated operatives of the commission, along with comments uttered by Okowa during the visits, portraying the agency in bad light before the general public as a political tool being used for witch-hunt.
Some workers at the office of the Accountant General, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mrs. Enwa and others shall be reporting back to the EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for more questioning on the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion state funds by the former governor.
"Madam Enwa’s blood pressure is getting higher every day because of the issue. She is so restless. She never saw this coming at all. In fact, all of them are not happy with former governor Ifeanyi Okowa because, according to them, they cannot be suffering for the sins of one man who was busy eating alone with his kinsmen to the detriment of other senatorial districts in the state,” one of the workers said.
“I think they have resolved to say all they know about the matter to the commission.”
When contacted for comments, Enwa said, "I think you have a mission. Please you shouldn't be asking me any question, I have told you what to do. I will appreciate you if you go to the source and get your information."
All efforts to reach the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, for comments were not successful as his mobile lines were not reachable.
However, multiple sources at the commission confirmed the story that the state accountant general, former DFA and Government House director of administration will be reporting back to the commission in January for further questioning on the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion state funds by former governor Okowa.
SaharaReporters reliably gathered that they would again be detained after the grilling at the commission's facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
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