EFCC Probes Alleged N10 Billion Abia Airport Fraud, Says Governor Otti

EFCC probes alleged N10 billion Abia airport fraud, says Governor Otti. He explained that his administration had petitioned EFCC.

Abia governor, Alex Otti
Governor Alex Otti of Abia has said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating the alleged misappropriation of N10 billion purportedly spent for a non-existent Abia Airport by the previous administration.

Mr Otti disclosed this on Friday night during February media chat, saying that the commission was still inviting individuals who received the funds into their accounts.

He explained that his administration had petitioned EFCC regarding the alleged looted funds meant for the project.

He expressed the confidence that the money would be recovered, saying that the people involved would return the funds “at the appropriate time”.

A forensic audit revealed that N10 billion, allocated for the airport project by Okezie Ikpeazu’s government, was misappropriated.

The audit report further disclosed that the funds were transferred to 32 different accounts.

Mr Otti said that his administration was focused on recovering the looted funds to ensure good governance and development in Abia.

He said, “We are still on it and I’m sure that at the appropriate time they will bring back the money.”

Governor Otti

The governor also announced subsidised fares for the recently launched Electric Bus Services on two major routes in the state.

According to him, commuters will henceforth pay N800 from Umuahia to Aba, while from Umuahia to Ohafia will cost N1,000.

“It is going to be cheap and organised in such a way that cash will not be accepted.

“You have to pay with your ATM card, because we need to move up the ladder in our digital transformation, that’s where the world is going,” Mr Otti said.

The free bus service, which had endured from December 2025, when the bus was launched, will end on February 28.

Court Jails Orient Petroleum MD, Two Others 14 Years For N25bn Fraud

Court jails Orient Petroleum MD, two others 14 years for N25bn fraud. Justice O. M. Anyachebelu of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has convicted and sentenced Engineer Nnaemeka Nwawka, managing director, Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, Jude Anniekwe Cyril and Sage Nebefeife Foundation to fourteen years imprisonment each for stealing, conversion and gratification to the tune of N25billion.

They were jailed after being found guilty of ten-count charges bordering on stealing, conversion and gratification.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you NNAEMEKA NWAWKA, JUDE ANNIEKWE CYRIL and THE REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF SAGE NEBEIFE FOUNDATION sometimes between 23rd April to 21st December, 2012 in Anambra State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently converted to your personal use the aggregate sum of N82,856,934 (Eighty Two Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Thirty Four Naira) only which sum was transferred from Vhelbherg International Limited company account domiciled in Standard Chartered Bank account No. 0000777216 into the account of Sage Nebeife Foundation Domiciled in First Bank account No. 2017452111.”

Count two reads:

“That you NNAEMEKA NWAWKA, JUDE ANNIEKWE CYRIL and THE REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF SAGE NEBEIFE FOUNDATION sometimes between 8th January to 24th May, 2013 in Anambra State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently converted to your personal use the aggregate sum of N29,620,733 (Twenty Nine Million, Six Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty Three Naira) only which sum was transferred from Vhelbherg International Limited company account domiciled in Standard Chartered Bank account No. 0000777216 into the account of Sage Nebeife Foundation Domiciled in First Bank account No. 2017452111”

They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them, prompting the EFCC, through its counsel, Victor Ukagwu to go into full trial with him. The trial lasted ten years. The EFCC called four witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence admitted and marked exhibits p1 to p24.

The evidence showed how Nwawka ensured that contracts were awarded to his friend’s companies from Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, how monies were paid to the companies and eventually returned to him through his Foundation and how he withdrew the said monies and used them for his personal needs.

Counsel to the first and third defendants, U. N. Udechukwu, SAN, and counsel to the second defendant, E.S.C Obiora, SAN, held briefs for their clients, offering defences on how the contracts were handled. However, Justice Anyachebe found the defendants guilty and convicted them accordingly.

Court

The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore sentenced Nwawka and his Foundation to 14 years imprisonment. The court also ordered the convict and his Foundation to refund the sum of 140, 900, 000 (One Hundred and forty million, Nine hundred Thousand Naira) to Orient Petroleum Resources Plc.

Nwawka and his co-travelers bagged their imprisonment when one of the investors in his company, Chief Cletus Ibeto petitioned the Commission that he invested the sum of N25billion into Orient Petroleum Resources Plc but Nnawka through award of suspicious and bogus contracts to his friend’s companies, got most of the monies back through his Sage Nebefeife Foundation.

Dele Oyewale

Head, Media & Publicity

N240m Fraud: Court Affirms Conviction, Sentence Of Senator Albert

N240m Fraud: Court affirms conviction, sentence of Senator Albert. The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday, February 27, 2026 affirmed the decision of the trial Court and Court of Appeal that convicted and sentenced Senator Albert Bassey to seven years imprisonment and the restitution of the sum of N204m ( Two Hundred and Four Million Naira) to Akwa Ibom State.

The decision of the five- man panelist of the apex court delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah, having reviewed the appeal of the appellant, came to the conclusion that the decision of the Court of Appeal is affirmed but the order of restitution which the High court made but ignored by the Court of Appeal was restored.

“The order of this court is that the conviction and sentencing imposed by the lower court on the 23 day of June 2023 on the appellant is hereby affirmed but the order of the lower court avoiding the order of restitution given by the trial court did not follow the law, so it is revised and the right order is to nullify same and thereby the restitution of sum of N204 million made by the trial court is restored”, he said.

Senate

Bassey`s journey to the prison started following his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, led by prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho SAN before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for receiving bribes of 12 cars worth N254 million as Commissioner for Finance in Akwa Ibom State.

He was convicted on all the seven-count charges against him and sentenced to seven years in prison for each charge, totaling 42 years on Thursday, December 1, 2022.

However, the defendant proceeded to the appellate court to which the three man panel led by Justice Rapheal Chikwe Agbo upheld the conviction but with an option of fine before the apex court struck out the judgement in parts.