Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, has been released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after being questioned over allegations of financial misconduct.
The former governor, who was invited by the anti-graft agency for questioning, arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
He was interrogated for several hours before being allowed to leave later in the evening, without spending the night in custody.
Udom Emmanuel’s visit to the EFCC was in response to an investigation into allegations of money laundering, diversion of public funds, and mismanagement of state resources.
The case was reportedly triggered by a petition from the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NCAT), a civil society group that had accused the former governor of financial irregularities during his eight-year tenure.
According to sources within the EFCC, the petition claimed that Udom Emmanuel received a total of ₦3 trillion from the Federation Account while in office but allegedly left the state with a debt profile of ₦500 billion. Additionally, the petition stated that there were ongoing projects in Akwa Ibom State worth ₦300 billion that remain unpaid.
A key part of the allegations revolves around an alleged ₦700 billion that the former governor has yet to account for.
