Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating the alleged misappropriation of N10 billion earmarked for a proposed Abia Airport project under the administration of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Speaking during his February media chat, Otti said the anti-graft agency was still inviting individuals into whose accounts the funds were allegedly transferred.
According to the governor, his administration formally petitioned the EFCC after a forensic audit reportedly revealed that the N10 billion allocated for the airport project was diverted.
The audit, he said, showed that the funds were transferred into 32 different accounts, raising serious concerns about the handling of the project, which he described as non-existent.
“We are still on it and I’m sure that at the appropriate time they will bring back the money,” Otti stated, expressing confidence that the funds would eventually be recovered.
He maintained that his government remains focused on accountability and the recovery of public funds to ensure good governance and sustainable development in the state.
In a related development, the governor also announced subsidised fares for the newly introduced Electric Bus Services operating on two major routes across the state.
Under the new fare regime, commuters will pay N800 from Umuahia to Aba, while trips from Umuahia to Ohafia will cost N1,000.
Otti explained that the transport system would operate strictly on cashless payments.
“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,” he said.
The free bus service, which commenced in December 2025 at launch, officially ended on February 28, with the subsidised structure now in effect.
