Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Udom Emmanuel, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, in connection with an alleged N700 billion fraud.
Emmanuel was apprehended after he responded to an invitation from the EFCC on Tuesday to address allegations of money laundering and funds diversion, brought against him by the Network against Corruption and Trafficking.
The petitioner accused Emmanuel of receiving N3 trillion from the Federation Account over his eight-year tenure but leaving behind a debt of N500 billion and ongoing projects worth N300 billion that remain unpaid. Additionally, Emmanuel is alleged to be unable to account for N700 billion.
The EFCC’s investigation is ongoing, and Emmanuel is currently being questioned by operatives.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale could not be reached for comment at the time.
Emmanuel served as the governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2015 to 2023 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a related development, the EFCC last Friday arraigned former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and four others at the Abia State High Court for allegedly misappropriating about N47 billion.
The defendants, alongside Orji’s son, Engineer Chinedum Orji, former Commissioner of Finance for Abia State Dr. Philip Nto, government contractor Obioma King, and former Director of Finance for Abia State Romas Madu, face a 16-count charge for conspiracy to steal and divert billions of naira intended for various government projects.
The charges include misappropriating N22.5 billion allocated for security votes from 2011 to 2015, embezzling N13 billion from a loan facility from Diamond Bank, and illegally converting N12 billion from the Paris Club refund. They are also accused of diverting N10.5 billion from a loan provided by First Bank for the state and its local councils, as well as N2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s funds designated for small and medium enterprises.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail. The trial has been scheduled for June 18th and 19th, 2025.
