Ebonyi Govt Refutes Arrest Reports Of 5 Commissioners

The Ebonyi Government has rejected a report claiming that five Commissioners were arrested by Governor Francis Nwifuru for contract violations and delivery delays.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the Ebonyi Executive Council (EXCO) committee on supervision and completion of two state housing projects, Chief Donatus Ilang, in Abakaliki.

The projects are the 140 housing units for the Izzo and Amaze communities, which were displaced by the Ezilo/Ezza Ezilo communal crisis in Ishielu Local Government Area.

Ilang, who is also the Commissioner for Border, Peace, and Conflict Resolution, described the report as “false and unfounded.”

“No commissioner was arrested, and you can confirm this from the police and other security agencies.

“The people writing such fake news are doing so from their imagination,” he said.

“We informed them of the state governor ‘s displeasure over delays in the project and resolved to take drastic actions on the defaulters,” he said.

He noted that the commissioners promised to furnish the committee with relevant information that would enable it to confront the erring contractors.

“The governor is desirous to give the people of both communities, affected by a fatricidal communal conflict, housing reprieves.

“We gave all persons involved in the project time to comply with the contractual terms.”

“Our mandate is to ensure that the governor’s noble intentions towards people of both communities are actualised, and we would not toy with such,” he said.

NAN reports that the 140 units of building projects were initiated by the state government to cushion the housing needs of both communities.

The Ebonyi Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Joshua Ukandu, also told NAN in an interview that no commissioner was in their custody.

“We did not arrest any commissioner,” he said. (NAN)