Ebonyi State Government Denies Arresting Five Commissioners After Backlash

The Ebonyi State government has dismissed reports claiming that Governor Francis Nwifuru ordered the arrest of five commissioners over alleged contract breaches and delays in project completion. On Tuesday, media outlets cited Ilang Donatus, the chairman of the state’s executive council committee overseeing the completion of two housing projects, who reportedly announced the arrests, following accusations from the governor of project sabotage.

In a statement, Ilang rejected the claims, describing them as “false and unfounded.” He emphasized that no commissioners had been arrested, urging the public to verify this with local police and security agencies. “The people writing such fake news are doing so from their imagination,” he said.

Ilang clarified that while the governor had expressed displeasure over the delays in the projects, there had been no arrests. The committee, he explained, had only warned project officials of potential drastic actions in the event of further delays. He also reaffirmed the governor’s commitment to providing housing for the displaced communities of Izzo and Amaze in Ishielu Local Government Area, as part of efforts to address the fallout from the Ezilo/Ezza Ezilo communal conflict.

Joshua Ukandu, spokesperson for the Ebonyi police command, also confirmed that no commissioner had been taken into custody. “We did not arrest any commissioner,” Ukandu stated.

The Ebonyi State government is currently overseeing the construction of 140 housing units in the state to aid the recovery of displaced residents, a project that has been delayed due to various challenges.