EFCC Arrests Ex-Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel Over Alleged ₦700 Billion Fraud

FCT, ABUJA, NIGERIA – Former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged ₦700 billion fraud.

Emmanuel, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023, was detained at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, after responding to an invitation from the anti-corruption body.

The arrest followed a petition by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking, which accused Emmanuel of misappropriating state funds.

The petition claimed that Emmanuel mishandled ₦3 trillion allocated from the Federation Account, leaving behind a debt of ₦500 billion and ₦300 billion in unpaid projects.