The Abia State Government has issued a strong rebuttal to a viral social media story alleging that Governor Alex Otti intervened to secure the release of dozens of suspected internet fraudsters arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Government Denies Alleged Confrontation in Aba
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, categorically denied the incident ever took place. The rumour claimed that Governor Alex Otti accosted EFCC officials in Aba, blocked their convoy, and ordered them to free 59 youths arrested for alleged involvement in financial crimes, locally referred to as 'Yahoo Yahoo'.
Prince Kanu described the narrative as "a sensational and entirely fabricated story" designed to mislead the public. He stressed that no such confrontation occurred, either recently or at any time since Governor Otti assumed office. The statement was titled "Recycled lies, desperate politics: Abia State Govt debunks the Aba EFCC Fabrication."
A Case of Recycled Propaganda
The Commissioner revealed that this was not a new story but a repackaged falsehood. He pointed out that an almost identical claim was circulated and debunked in May 2025. According to the government, opposition elements, having run out of credible ideas, have resorted to exhuming old lies from the archives of misinformation.
"This narrative is false from beginning to end," the statement read. "It is a crude piece of recycled propaganda, deliberately exhumed... and now repackaged in a desperate bid to mislead the public and discredit a government that has earned the trust of Abians."
Setting the Record Straight
The government provided several key clarifications to counter the rumour:
- No Interference: Governor Alex Otti has never obstructed or confronted any federal law enforcement agency, including the EFCC, in their lawful duties. Such action would contradict his known commitment to due process.
- No Mass Arrest: There was no recorded mass arrest of 59 youths from Aba by the EFCC, nor any attempted transfer of such a group to Abuja on the alleged date.
- Governor's Whereabouts: At the time the fabricated incident was said to have occurred, Governor Otti was verifiably engaged in official state duties elsewhere, a fact supported by public records.
The statement further argued that the idea of a state governor theatrically blocking a federal agency's convoy belongs to the realm of "poorly scripted political fiction."
Appeal for Discernment and Focus on Governance
Prince Okey Kanu appealed to the public to disregard the malicious fabrication, praising Abians as discerning people who understand the difference between governance based on facts and propaganda fueled by desperation.
"The Abia State Government urges the public to disregard this malicious fabrication and similar recycled stories designed to sow confusion and erode trust," he said. "We also remind those behind such propaganda that misinformation is not opposition, and falsehood is not politics."
The Commissioner concluded by stating that the administration remains focused on rebuilding the state and restoring confidence in public institutions. "Abia has moved on," the statement declared, adding that "No amount of recycled lies will reverse that trajectory."
