The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, over an alleged N700 billion fraud.

Mr Udom, the state governor from 2015 to 2023 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested on Tuesday after he arrived at the anti-graft agency’s Abuja headquarters.

The former governor arrived at the commission’s headquarters around 12:30 p.m. to honour their invitation following a petition by the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), The Punch reported.

“The petitioner alleged that Emmanuel received N3 trillion from the federation account over eight years but left behind a debt profile of N500 billion and unpaid ongoing projects worth N300 billion. He was also alleged to be unable to account for N700 billion.

“Emmanuel arrived at our office around 12:30 p.m. and was arrested shortly after,” the outlet quoted the EFCC source as saying.

The source also stated that a cash withdrawal of N31 billion from a single account named “Office of the Governor” between 2019 and 2023 was discovered.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale has yet to respond to Peoples Gazette’s enquiry about Mr Emmanuel’s arrest at the time of filing this report.