Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the arrest of six commissioners and suspended the Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Nwachi, over alleged violations in the construction of 140 housing units for communities displaced by the Ezilo/Ezza Ezilo communal crisis in Ishielu LGA.
The affected commissioners, including 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), are accused of breaching the terms of the housing project, which was intended to provide relief for the displaced Izzo and Amaze communities.
In a statement, Ilang Donatus, Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee on the housing project, revealed that the officials’ failure to adhere to the contract terms had delayed the project, which was initially planned to be commissioned in celebration of Governor Nwifuru’s second anniversary in office.
Donatus expressed the governor’s frustration with the slow progress of the construction, emphasizing that the project was a key part of the governor’s initiative to provide relief to victims of the communal clashes. He added, “The governor is not happy with the pace of the work, which ought to have been completed.”
In addition to the arrests, Mrs. Maria Okohu, Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization (Ebonyi Central), condemned the delay, describing it as sabotage against the governor’s development agenda. She warned that further arrests would follow if the officials and contractors remained unaccountable.
The state government has also stated its intention to intensify its crackdown, with the Nigerian police reportedly issuing invitations to several absent officials. However, Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, denied knowledge of the arrests or the police invitations, leaving the situation shrouded in uncertainty.
The ongoing investigations and government actions highlight the state’s commitment to ensuring that the housing project is completed in a timely manner, providing much-needed relief to the affected communities.
