Tuesday, September 8, 2026

HEDA asks ICPC to probe Abia speaker, former state attorney for fraud

Both the current Abia speaker and the former state attorney are accusing themselves of engaging in fraud.

• January 1, 2022
Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji and Umeh Kalu

A rights group has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) to investigate Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, and former Attorney General of the State, Umeh Kalu, over corruption allegations.

In a statement on Saturday, chairman of Human and Environmental Development Agenda  (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju, asked the ICPC to probe the allegations and counter accusations made between the speaker and the former state attorney and bring to book the guilty party.

Mr Orji had accused Mr Kalu of converting six Abia state government’s official vehicles to personal use while in office, alleging that the former attorney general also owned several properties including Shoprite in Umuahia.

Responding, Mr Kalu who denied all allegations, accused the speaker of addiction to cocaine and hard drugs, solicitation of government’s contract, murder, inflation of contract to refurbish the state assembly complex and the price inflation for a Toyota Hilux to the tune of N33,000,000 with a competitive asking price of N18,000,000.

Following the revelations made by the speaker and former attorney, the anti-corruption group asked the ICPC to “expedite actions on the matter in line with its mandate and prosecute anyone found culpable in such distasteful act of corrupt practices and financial misappropriation.”

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

collapsed Building in Abuja

Abuja

Building collapses in Abuja, rescue operation underway

Details of the incident are still sketchy as of press time.

President Bola Tinubu

Africa

Tinubu condoles Tanzania president over husband’s death

Mr Hassan passed away after being hospitalised earlier on Monday.

Vladmir Putin

Heading 1

Russia shuts German consulate in St Petersburg over drone row

Germany blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4. 

Police officer

States

Suspected motorcycle thief arrested in Jigawa

Mr Dama said the tracing operation successfully generated the geographical coordinates of the motorcycle. 

Audu Bako College of Agriculture

Education

Kano ‌⁠assembly upgrades college to offer science, technology courses

Mr Hussaini said the development would enable the institution seek accreditation from NBTE alongside its existing agricultural programmes.