JUST IN: Ebonyi Gov, Nwifuru Arrests Six Commissioners, LG Chairman

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has arrested six commissioners due to their alleged involvement in violating a contract for the construction of 140 housing units intended for the Izzo and Amaze communities.

Naijaonpoint understands that the commissioners arrested include Professor Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education), Victor Chukwu (Environment), Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), Uchenna Igwe (Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters), Moses Ekuma (Health), and Felix Igboke (Project Monitoring).

Additionally, the Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Timothy Nwachi, was also suspended.

Reports indicate that before their arrest, the state government had issued a wanted notice for the commissioners involved.

In a statement to the press in Abakaliki, Governor Nwifuru, represented by the Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee on the Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, Ilang Donatus, expressed that the government believes the commissioners and contractors have failed to adhere to the contractual obligations set forth by the administration.

The commissioners and contractors are accused of undermining Governor Nwifuru’s initiative to inaugurate the housing units in celebration of his two-year anniversary in office.

“The governor is not happy over the pace of the work which ought to have been completed. The government has decided to clamp down on the contractors and commissioners who were mandated to supervise those projects.

“As you can see, our governor is a man with a passionate heart, he likes giving succour, hence the building of those houses for the victims of the communal crisis.

“He is not happy that the project is delayed and has ordered the arrest of all the commissioners who were supposed to ensure the speedy completion of the housing units,” Donatus said.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization for Ebonyi Central, Maria Okohu, who serves on the Executive Council Committee, stated that the failure of contractors to complete projects and the lack of strict supervision by certain commissioners, as mandated by the government, constitute an act of sabotage.

The governor, through the committee, emphasized that arrests will persist until all involved commissioners and contractors are held accountable and take the necessary actions.

It has been reported that the Nigeria Police have also sent invitation letters to several commissioners and contractors who were not present at home during the committee’s visit.