Delta State Accountant General and Officials to Report Back to EFCC for Further Questioning on N1.3 Trillion Fund Diversion

Delta State’s embattled Accountant General, Mrs. Joy Enwa, alongside former Director of Finance and Administration (DFA), Ekeruche, and the Director of Administration at Government House, Asaba, are expected to report back to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the second week of January 2025 for further questioning.

The trio was initially arrested, detained, and later released by the EFCC in December 2024 as part of the agency’s ongoing investigation into the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion in state funds by the former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa.

The EFCC has also detained Okowa, who is accused of misappropriating the funds, allegedly using his office to acquire significant assets, including shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas Company and other oil-sector investments. These funds are said to be part of the 13 percent derivation fund intended for oil-rich states, which Okowa allegedly misused during his tenure.

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, had confirmed Okowa’s arrest in November 2024, as part of the broader investigation into the diversion of these significant state funds. Okowa’s release from EFCC custody sparked a wave of solidarity visits from various groups and traditional rulers, which many believe were orchestrated to present Okowa in a favorable light. However, sources suggest that these visits angered EFCC operatives, especially given some of Okowa’s comments that portrayed the agency as politically biased.

An anonymous source from the office of the Accountant General revealed that Enwa and the other officials are to return to the EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for further questioning regarding the alleged fund diversion. The source indicated that Enwa’s health has been impacted by the investigation, citing rising stress levels due to the situation.

“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,” the source stated.

The source further added, “I think they have resolved to say all they know about the matter to the commission.”

Efforts to reach Enwa for a comment on the matter were unsuccessful as she declined to speak, directing inquiries to other sources. Attempts to contact EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale were also unsuccessful, with his mobile lines unreachable.

Despite the lack of official comment, multiple sources within the EFCC confirmed that the officials would be reporting back for additional questioning and are expected to be detained following their next round of interviews at the commission’s Port Harcourt facility.

This latest development follows the EFCC’s continued efforts to investigate the alleged misappropriation of N1.3 trillion, a matter that has put the former governor, his associates, and other state officials under intense scrutiny.