Six Health Workers in Ebonyi Arrested for Alleged Theft of Government Property
Six employees from the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health have been detained on charges of allegedly stealing government property, sources from FIRST CLASS GISTS report.
According to our correspondent, the individuals were apprehended on Saturday night within the ministry’s premises while attempting to move the stolen items for sale.
The arrest was officially confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by Monday Uzor, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Francis Nwifuru, in Abakaliki.
The statement detailed that Governor Nwifuru had ordered the arrest and prosecution of Mr. Ndukwe Ayansi and five other suspects accused of diverting materials designated for the Ministry of Health. The governor himself made the discovery while inspecting a project, when he noticed a Toyota Dyana truck loading various materials, including registers and books, from the ministry’s warehouse.
Upon questioning the individuals involved, the governor found discrepancies in their explanations. A deeper investigation revealed that patient records, data registers, and other official documents had been loaded into the vehicle, with all items already sold without any official consent.
The Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident, stating, “Yes, the arrests have been made. Investigation is underway.”
In a related matter, Chief Emmanuel Ajah, the chairperson of the Ivo local government area, condemned a recent act of violence in the region. Two people were killed in what is believed to be an escalation of an ongoing land dispute between two local communities.
In a statement to PUNCH Metro, Chief Ajah explained that his administration had been actively working to resolve the long-standing conflict. A committee had been formed to mediate, and a resolution had been reached to partition the disputed land by November 2024. Despite this, he expressed shock at the recent violence, vowing that the perpetrators would face justice.
Ajah also mentioned that he visited the affected area with security personnel to offer condolences to the victims’ families and promote peace between the conflicting communities.
