Eddy Ogidi-Gbegbaje, a former permanent secretary, Directorate of Government House & Protocols in Delta State, was arrested, detained, and later granted bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged withdrawal of N87 billion from the government coffer.
The Witness learnt that Ogidi-Gbegbaje, who was held and interrogated by the anti-graft agency at its Port Harcourt facility for nearly a month, was released on bail on January 6, 2025.
According to a source at the EFCC, Ogidi-Gbegbaje admitted to withdrawing the said sum of money from a bank on the directives of the former governor, Okowa. However, the source noted that Ogidi-Gbegbaje did not explicitly state that the funds went to Okowa.
The former permanent secretary was questioned as part of an ongoing investigation into the mismanagement of state funds during Okowa’s administration. Other government officials, including the former state accountant general, Mrs. Joy Enwa, and a former director of finance and administration, have also been interrogated.
On November 4, EFCC operatives arrested Okowa over allegations of diverting N1.3 trillion. The former governor is also accused of using public funds to acquire properties in Abuja and Asaba, the capital of Delta state. The funds in question are believed to include portions of the 13 percent derivation allocation designated for oil-producing states.
Okowa has denied the allegations, claiming that his arrest and investigation are politically motivated.
Ifeanyi Okowa served as the Governor of Delta State from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023
