LAGOS, Nigeria — Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Monday visited the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), sources confirmed to TheCable, in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged financial misappropriation during his eight-year tenure.
Okowa was spotted at the commission’s Directorate 1 office on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. According to EFCC sources, the former governor’s visit is linked to allegations bordering on the diversion of N1.3 trillion in 13 per cent derivation funds from the Federation Account between 2015 and 2023.
The anti-graft agency first arrested Okowa in November 2024 over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion during his tenure as governor of Delta State, which ended in May 2023. He was also accused of using public funds to acquire properties in Asaba, the state capital, and Abuja.
Speaking after his arrest, Okowa insisted that funds belonging to the state were “judiciously used” during his tenure and that he was not afraid of investigation. “Whatever that is going on, I am not worried, and I have spoken about it. I am not afraid to be investigated,” Okowa had said. “I may not be a saint, but I know I stepped in there as governor with a full hope and desire to help people to give the best for ourselves in this state within the limit of our resources.”
At the Lagos office on Monday, sources indicated that Okowa was making efforts to secure the release of his international passport, reportedly telling investigators he needed to travel abroad for urgent medical treatment.
Okowa served as Delta State governor from 2015 to 2023 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was also the running mate to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election. In April 2025, Okowa defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside his successor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and several political officeholders in the state.
The EFCC has previously stated that Okowa’s defection to the ruling party would not shield him from prosecution. Sylvanus Tahir, the commission’s director of legal and prosecution, noted in October 2025 that the case was still under investigation and that justice would be served in due course. “When we go to court, Nigerians will see what the case is all about,” Tahir said.
Attempts to get an official reaction from EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale were unsuccessful as his phone rang out without response. As investigations continue, Okowa remains one of several former governors under scrutiny by the anti-graft agency over allegations of financial mismanagement during their tenure.
