Amidst the economic crunch facing the country with particular reference to Delta state, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, has lost a whopping sum of $10 million to his American mistress who is based in Texas in the United States.
It was learnt that the money was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s bailout funds released to Delta state last year but was diverted by the governor to his concubine ahead of the 2019 general elections.
It was reliably gathered that Okowa had commissioned his US based mistress to assist him launder the sum of $10 million out of the bailout funds allocated to his state to a slush accounts he provided, but, the yet to be identified mistress turned around and lodged the money into her own personal account in the United States.
It was learnt, that in his bid to outsmart, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Okowa settled for the option of using his US-based mistress to loot the $10 million abroad to avoid been caught by security agencies.
According to an impeccable source, despite the tricks and corrupt manner Okowa used in laundering the funds, security agencies outsmarted him and intercept the corrupt process used in the deal.
It was learnt that following the manner Okowa was duped by his mistress, he finds it hard to sleep and his is doing everything possible within his powers to hide the matter from his wife and the state.
It would be recalled the President Buhari administration had in 2016 released the sum of N1. 266.44 trillion to 36 states within nine months with a breakdown of N713.70 billion special intervention funds to states and London Paris Club loan refunds of N522.74 billion.
Commenting on the issue, a serving commissioner in the state who confided in our reporter, said if actually Okowa is the oil producing state governor been mentioned, then it would be a big disgrace and disappointment, adding that “People are tired of his kind of governance where he complained every now and then of “Ego-aria”, meaning (there is no money). Local government council workers and teachers are been owed several months. I can tell you boldly that the state is suffering. All contracts are been done by him, using phoney companies, cronies, relations and kinsmen”, the commissioner lamented.
According to the commissioner who pleaded for anonymity, the state is in a serious mess and serious looting is going on, saying that in all of this, “Our governor still uses the church to deceive everybody including us the commissioners”, adding “Our case is that of dying and smiling, pretending that all is well. I can tell you that Bube-Dan Global Resources, is one of the firms the Okowa is using to loot fund. The firm is owned by one of his kinsmen, an Ika man been used as a front. The contract for Edegbrode-Elume road was awarded to the firm at N850, 000, 000.00. The Isele-Uku-Ugbodu-Okunzu/Obomkpa/Idumu-Ogo was awarded to the firm at N797, 936, 580.00. Ozoro-Oleh road was also awarded to the firm at the cost of N536, 738, 018.51 and so many others”, the commissioner revealed.
