The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a former Abia State Government commissioner, Christopher Enweremadu, and Abia resident Fortune Ozoemela wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy, diversion of public funds, theft, and money laundering.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale made the announcement in a public notice posted on the commission’s website on Wednesday, September 3. Enweremadu served as commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters under former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. His last known address was listed as the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Umuahia, Abia State.

Ozoemela, 40, is an indigene of Abia State with a last known address at 122 Ozoemila’s Compound, Amakama Olokoro, Umuahia. Oyewale urged anyone with information on their whereabouts to contact any EFCC zonal office, including locations in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja.

The EFCC notice did not provide specific details of the transactions linked to Enweremadu. However, he is connected to an investigation into the management of funds allocated to Abia’s 17 local government councils.

In December 2024, a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered a probe into allocations to the councils between 2019 and 2023 and directed the EFCC to submit its findings. The court also ordered the seizure of international passports belonging to Enweremadu, former aide Erondu Uchenna Erondu, and Joy Nwanju, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.

The court action followed an ex parte application by an activist who alleged that billions of naira intended for Abia’s local government councils were diverted under the supervision of the officials.