ABAKALIKI, Nigeria – In a bold move, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has arrested six of his commissioners for alleged involvement in the breach of contract terms related to the construction of 140 housing units for the Izzo and Amaze communities.
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 detained in connection with the project.
According to the Governor’s office, the affected officials were declared wanted prior to their arrests, as they were implicated in the delayed completion of the housing units, which were intended to provide relief to victims of communal crises in the region.
Speaking to reporters in Abakaliki, Ilang Donatus, Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee on the Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, confirmed that the governor had taken the decisive step after expressing dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work.
“The Governor is not happy over the pace of the work, which should have been completed by now. The government has decided to clamp down on the contractors and commissioners who were tasked with supervising these projects,” Donatus stated.
The housing units, a key part of the state’s post-crisis recovery strategy, were meant to provide essential shelter for those displaced by the conflict.
Governor Nwifuru had expressed frustration over the delays and failure to meet the agreed-upon timelines.
“He is a man with a passionate heart, and he is not pleased that this project has been delayed,” Donatus explained.
Mrs. Maria Okohu, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization in Ebonyi Central and a member of the Executive Council Committee, echoed these sentiments, calling the failure to complete the project an act of sabotage.
“The non-completion of these housing units and the failure of some commissioners to supervise the contractors as directed by the government is unacceptable,” Okohu stated.
The Governor has instructed that the arrests continue until all those involved, including the contractors and any commissioners yet to be apprehended, are brought to justice.
It was reported that the Nigeria Police have issued invitations to several commissioners and contractors who were not present when the Committee conducted its visits.
The Ebonyi State government has emphasized that this action is part of its broader effort to ensure accountability and efficiency in public service, particularly in the execution of critical infrastructure projects meant to support the state’s most vulnerable populations.
