Court orders temporary seizure of N1bn linked to Ebonyi SSG

Ebonyi map

The Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru said his administration will not rush to a conclusion regarding the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, which ordered interim forfeiture of over N1billion linked to the Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Grace Umezurike, and her aide, Ngene Nwanna Onyeabor

The Governor spoke on Sunday, during a Church service held at the Government House Chapel, at Centenary City, Abakaliki.

The PUNCH reports that the forfeiture order was granted by the judge, Maurine Onyetenu on July 8, 2025.

The court order followed an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Mrs Umezurike, a professor, and his aide, Mr Onyeabor, were listed in the suit as first and second respondents, respectively.

The EFCC told the court that the SSG and her aide allegedly diverted the funds from the treasury of the Ebonyi State Government to six different accounts domiciled in United Bank for Africa.

The commission said that while four of the UBA accounts were owned by the SSG, one of them, which belongs to the aide, had N1.014 billion diverted to it.

The sixth account was opened with the account name: Affordable Multi Services Nigeria Limited.

The funds were said to have been earmarked by the Ebonyi State Government for the purchase of bags of rice for the people of the state during the 2024 Christmas celebration.

In the ex parte application, the EFCC prayed the court to order an interim forfeiture of the funds in the bank accounts for a period of 60 days pending the final determination of the case.

It further sought an order of the court directing the respondents and any other person interested in the funds domiciled in UBA in the name of the respondents to show cause why the funds should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.