Mulade Urges EFCC To Probe Alleged Diversion Of ₦1.3 Trillion Delta Derivation Funds

By PAULINA NZERUBE

NIGER Delta activist Chief Sheriff Mulade has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently investigate the alleged diversion of ₦1.3 trillion in 13% oil derivation funds by former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

In an open letter to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, Mulade expressed concern over the agency’s “silence” since Okowa’s reported arrest in 2024, warning that inaction could embolden corruption.

He alleged that Okowa diverted half of the derivation funds meant for the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and amended its law in 2018 to gain control of its finances, leaving oil-producing communities underdeveloped despite huge allocations.

Mulade noted that Delta received ₦185.16 billion from the fund between January and May 2025 alone, yet “little has changed” in affected communities.

He urged the EFCC to act decisively and restore public confidence in its anti-graft efforts, warning against “political interference and selective justice.”