EFCC Denies Claims of $800m Cash Discovery in Former Abia Governor Ikpeazu’s Home

Recent social media posts circulating a viral photo allege that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered a stash of $800 million in the residence of former Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

Okezie Ikpeazu, a prominent figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), served two terms as governor of Abia state.

The EFCC, Nigeria’s law enforcement agency tasked with probing financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering, has swiftly responded to these claims.

The post, which gained traction primarily on Facebook and was also shared on other platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), included an image purportedly showing a significant amount of cash.

One version of the post reads:

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered 800 million dollars cash stack at the home of former Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.”

However, a fact-checking initiative, Africa Check, conducted an investigation into the claim. According to Africa Check, the photo in question originated from a drug raid in Mexico and has been circulating online since at least 2007. It does not depict any cash discovered in the home of the former Abia governor.

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Moreover, Africa Check emphasized that considering Ikpeazu’s stature in Nigeria, any news of such a discovery would have been widely covered by media outlets.

The EFCC, through its spokesperson, reiterated that the claim is entirely false and baseless. They warned against spreading misinformation and affirmed their commitment to upholding the law and conducting thorough investigations into financial irregularities.

In light of this clarification, the EFCC urges the public to be wary of sensationalized claims and to rely on verified information from credible sources.