EFCC, ICPC urged to arrest suspended Ebonyi commissioners over alleged contract fraud

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Mazi Moses Idika, has called on Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to arrest and investigate six suspended commissioners over alleged contract racketeering.

Governor Francis Nwifuru had earlier ordered the officials' suspension over their alleged involvement in irregularities surrounding a contract for the construction of 140 housing units in the Izzo and Amaze communities.

The affected officials include Dr. Moses Ekuma (Health), Professor Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education), Hon. Victor Chukwu (Environment), Engr. Ogbonnaya Igboke (Project Monitoring), Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), and Uchenna Igwe (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs).

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, April 4, Idika criticised the Ebonyi State government, stating that “recent developments in Ebonyi State have become worrisome to the point that all Ebonyians must now come together to save the state from ruin.”

He accused the government of violating procurement laws, stressing that the alleged contract allocations were “a direct affront on the Ebonyi State Public Procurement and Related Matters Law No. 016 of 2020.”

Calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to act, Idika declared: “Enough is enough! Ebonyi public resources should not be used to build private business empires.”

The Ebonyi government has denied the arrests, but Idika insists that only a full probe can restore accountability.