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Abia Govt Accuses EFCC of Sloppy Investigation, Threatens Court Action
The Abia State Government has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of sloppy investigation and threatened court action if the agency does not unseal the properties it recently marked.
In a statement signed by Uche Ihediwa, Esq, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,the state expressed its diapleasure at the action of the EFCC.
He stated “Some few days ago, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in brazen disregard of the regulatory, enforcement and investigative provisions of the law establishing the Commission purported to mark and seal assets and/or properties of the Abia State in various locations in the State Capital, Umuahia under the guise that these assets and/or properties were under investigation. These properties are –
1. The Abia Mall
2. The Housing Estate at Adelabu Street, Umuahia
3. The former Township main market at Ogwumabiri
4. The Millennium Luxury Apartments, Umuahia
5. Abia Hotels
6. Linto Estate, Old Timber Shed
“In 2016, the same Commission, EFCC, investigated the ownership of most of these properties. The Certificates of Occupancy and Public Private Partnership Agreements between the State Government and Investors in respect of the properties were duly submitted or tendered before the Commission at the time, which documents the Commission found satisfactory.
“It is pertinent to note that the properties listed above belong to the Abia State Government and are not under investigation by the EFCC.
“Abia State Government duly entered into arrangements with credible investors for the development of these properties under Public Private Partnerships, which means that the reversionary interests in these properties still reside in the State Government.
“Sections 28 and 29 (a) of the law establishing the Commission, ie, the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act, Cap E1, LFN 2004 makes it clear that the Commission can only attach or seal the properties of persons arrested for an offence under the Act. As noted earlier in this briefing, ownership of the propertied by the Abia State Government is not subject of any EFCC investigation.
“With particular reference to the Housing Estate at Adelabu Street, the estate was initially to be developed by investors under Public Private Partnership arrangements but later terminated for non performance by the developers/investors. The Adelabu estate under my watch as Commissioner for Housing was later built with direct labor by the Housing Ministry with the approval of the State Government. The houses in the estate, on completion were allocated to individuals who paid for the allocations and continue to pay ground rents to the State Government.
“Also, the Abia Mall is in receivership as a result of the failure of the investor to pay back bank facilities. Had the Commission done a due diligence check, it would have unearthed this fact without shooting itself on the foot.
“The unwarranted and unlawful actions of the EFCC has fine incalculable harm to the economy of the State by scaring away high profile investors from the State. This also sends a negative signal to investors planning to invest in Nigeria.
“In the light of the foregoing, the EFCC is hereby given Seven (7) days from today to remove the offensive and provocative notices placed on the above listed properties or estates. The EFCC must tender an apology to the Abia State Government within the same period.
“Failure to comply with these demands will leave the State Government with no option but to seek appropriate redress in a court of law”
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), in collaboration with the Body of Banks’ CEOs, hosted an engagement with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, in Lagos.
The meeting, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reinforced the shared commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system as a critical pillar of national stability and economic growth.
In his remarks, the IGP underscored the strong nexus between financial security and national security, noting that the resilience of banking operations is central to investor confidence and Nigeria’s global credibility. He highlighted the evolving threat environment, emphasizing that beyond traditional risks such as armed attacks, the sector now faces increasingly sophisticated challenges, including cyber-enabled fraud, identity compromise, insider facilitation, and illicit financial flows.
To address these risks, the Nigeria Police Force continues to advance an intelligence-led approach to protecting financial infrastructure. The IGP referenced recent operations that dismantled violent crime networks, disrupted kidnapping syndicates, and recovered illegal arms, thereby strengthening the enabling environment for business continuity. He further noted his recent engagements with the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja and the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), both aimed at enhancing financial system integrity and investor protection.
In line with the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Force is enhancing the recruitment, training, and deployment of Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy Police) to meet the specialized security needs of banks and other critical financial institutions.
In conclusion, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the banking sector as a strategic partner in safeguarding the stability, integrity, and international reputation of Nigeria’s financial architecture.
Passengers aboard an Arik Air flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt experienced moments of anxiety on Wednesday morning after the aircraft developed an engine issue mid-air, forcing an emergency diversion to Benin City.
Following established safety procedures, the pilots immediately diverted the flight to the nearest airport as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely at Benin Airport without further complications.
Arik Air said all 80 passengers and crew members onboard disembarked safely, with no injuries recorded. The airline added that arrangements had been made to convey affected passengers to their intended destination in Port Harcourt.
“The safety and wellbeing of passengers is always our priority at Arik Air. We sincerely apologise to the affected Port Harcourt passengers whose journey has been disrupted,” the statement read.
The Senate may release records of how lawmakers voted on the controversial electronic transmission of election results, Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, has said.
Ningi spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, ahead of the emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, convened amid mounting public criticism over the Senate’s handling of the Electoral Act amendment.
Asked whether Nigerians could be allowed to see which senators supported or opposed real-time electronic transmission of results, Ningi said such disclosure was possible under the Senate’s rules.
“I think it’s possible. It depends on the presiding officer because the law provides that,” he said.
Explaining how the process could be made transparent, the lawmaker added: “You can stand up and say, ‘I, Ningi, I accept e-transmission in real time.’ I sit down. It’s recorded every other senator, and that is the only way we need to move forward.”
Ningi said the controversy surrounding the amendment was partly due to gaps in the official record of what transpired during deliberations.
“One thing that is very important is that the votes and proceedings have not been captured. So tomorrow (today), we need to look at what the votes and proceedings captured are. Is it a transfer?” he said.
He further questioned how the amendment to the electronic transmission clause was handled on the floor of the chamber.
“There was a motion for amendment by Manguno, and then the question was put. Who asked the question? Why was the question raised?” Ningi asked.
According to him, the matter required clearer deliberation before any decision was taken.
