A Facebook user has claimed that the Abia government blocked officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting 59 youths in the state.
The post by an account @NigeriaNews-HeadlinesToday has garnered over 177 likes, 97 comments, and 235 shares.
Multiple Facebook users also shared it here, here, and here, with some comments hailing the state governor and describing him as a “man of integrity.”
“Breaking News: The Abia state government has blocked the convoy of the EFCC in Aba after they arrested more than 59 youths and attempted to move them to Abuja,” the post reads.
“Governor Otti ordered his security team to stop the convoy and demanded the immediate release of all 59 boys, instructing them to leave Aba at once.
The Facebook user said the governor insisted that such an arrest would not happen under his regime.
“Aba boys are not thieves or killer herdsmen. No such arrests of my people will happen under my watch. Head back to Sokoto and arrest the Fulani herdsmen, not innocent Aba youths,” the post added.
VERIFYING THE CLAIM
CableCheck contacted Ukoha Njoku, chief press secretary to Otti, who described the claim as false.
“This report is completely fake news,” Njoku said.
We also observed that no credible media platform had reported the incident.
CableCheck noticed that most of the accounts that shared and engaged on the post were from the south-eastern part of the country.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, to confirm or debunk the claim proved abortive as calls and messages sent to his phone number were not answered or returned.
VERDICT
The claim that EFFC operatives arrested 59 youths in Abia and were intercepted by the state government is false.
