EFCC Arrests Former Akwa Ibom Governor Emmanuel Over Alleged ₦700bn Fraud

• EFCC Grills Ex-Akwa Ibom Gov Emmanuel for Alleged ₦700bn Fraud.
• He was arrested after he honoured an EFCC invitation on Tuesday to answer allegations of money laundering and diversion of funds.
• The EFCC’s investigations are ongoing with Emmanuel being grilled by operatives.

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after honouring an invitation on Tuesday to answer questions regarding allegations of money laundering and fund diversion.

Emmanuel’s arrest follows claims by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking, accusing him of mishandling state finances during his tenure. The petition alleges that, over his eight-year tenure, Emmanuel received N3 trillion from the Federation Account but left the state with a debt of N500 billion and projects worth N300 billion still unpaid. He is also being accused of being unable to account for an additional N700 billion.

The EFCC has yet to comment on the matter, with its spokesperson unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

Emmanuel, who served as the Governor of Akwa Ibom from 2015 to 2023 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now faces serious questions about his handling of the state's finances.