The Abia State Government has dismissed rumour that Governor Alex Otti accosted some officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Aba, who were on their way to Abuja, ordering them to release 59 youths in their convoy arrested for alleged indulgence in financial crime, popularly known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.
It also clarified that the purported incident never happened in the past or recently, blaming opposition elements for spreading fabricated falsehoods and misleading the unsuspecting public.
The rebuttal was conveyed through a statement on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu.
The statement titled: “Recycled lies, desperate politics: Abia State Govt debunks the Aba EFCC Fabrication,” urged the public to ignore the rumour, explaining that Otti was aware of the statutory existence of the anti-graft agency, adding that he would not prevent the officials from discharging their duties.
The statement read: “The attention of the Abia State Government has been drawn to a sensational and entirely fabricated story on social media, alleging that Governor Alex Chioma Otti confronted operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Aba, blocked their convoy, and ordered the release of dozens of arrested youths purportedly being taken to Abuja.
“Let it be stated clearly and for the avoidance of doubt that no such incident occurred in Aba, neither recently nor at any time under the administration of Governor Alex Otti.”
Stressing that it was a recycled propaganda which was exhumed, the statement said it is misinformation: “This narrative is false from beginning to end. It is a crude piece of recycled propaganda, deliberately exhumed from the archives of misinformation that opposition elements unsuccessfully pushed around May 2025, and now repackaged in a desperate bid to mislead the public and discredit a government that has earned the trust of Abians through transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.”
Kanu set the records straight, saying: “First, Governor Alex Otti has never obstructed, interfered with, or confronted any federal law enforcement agency, including the EFCC, in the discharge of its lawful duties. Such conduct would be inconsistent with his well-known disposition as a stickler for due process and constitutional order.
“Second, there was no mass arrest of 59 Aba youths by the EFCC, no attempted transfer to Abuja, and certainly no such confrontation involving the Governor or his security details. At the time the story claims this incident occurred, the Governor was verifiably engaged in official state duties elsewhere, a fact easily confirmable by public records and schedules.”
Continuing, the Commissioner said: “Third, the EFCC, as a federal institution, operates under clearly defined legal frameworks. The idea that a state governor would theatrically ‘block a convoy’ and issue inflammatory directives, as alleged, belongs more to the realm of poorly scripted political fiction than to reality.”