The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has opened investigation into a N1.4 billion cash gift made to a bank by former Akwa Ibom State governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio for undisclosed reasons.

The anti-graft agency has already written to the bank involved to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged cash gift.

“Among several allegations that are already in the public domain, the commission has made some progress in investigating the circumstances in which Akpabio, in 2013, paid N566,883,728.66; N441,808, 081.90 and N392, 631, 943.37 as gifts to a new generation bank,” a detective at the commission was quoted as saying.

The Akwa Ibom State Government has however dragged the commission to court, challenging its right to investigate state affairs.

The state government has also ignored several requests from the EFCC asking for the officials of the state government to be released for questioning regarding the ongoing investigations into the activities of Akpabio who currently serves as the  Minority Leader at the Senate.