Nigeria: EFCC Declares Ex-Abia Commissioner, Another Wanted Over Alleged Fraud

3 September 2025
Premium Times (Abuja)

EFCC declares ex-Abia commissioner, another wanted over alleged fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a former official of the Abia State Government, Christopher Enweremadu and a resident of Abia, Fortune Ozoemela wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy, diversion of public funds, stealing, and money laundering.

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a public notice posted on the commission website on Wednesday.

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Mr Enweremadu served as commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters under former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Mr Oyewale listed Mr Enweremadu's last known address as the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Umuahia, Abia State.

He also stated that Mr Ozoemela, 40, is an indigene of Abia State and that his last known address is 122 Ozoemila's compound, Amakama Olokoro, Umuahia, Abia State.

He urged anyone with useful information about their locations to report to any of its zonal offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the EFCC's fresh wanted notice did not give details of the transactions tied directly to Mr Enweremadu.

Mr Enweremadu is linked to an investigation into the management of funds allocated to Abia's 17 local government councils.

In December 2024, a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered a probe into allocations to the Abia local government councils between 2019 and 2023, and directed the EFCC to submit its findings.

The court also ordered the seizure of international passports belonging to Mr Enweremadu, Erondu Uchenna Erondu (a former aide to then-Governor Ikpeazu), and Joy Nwanju, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.

The court's decision followed an ex parte application filed by an activist, who alleged that billions of naira meant for Abia's local government council were diverted under the supervision of the officials.

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