Ikpeazu Denies Viral Report Claiming He Was Sentenced to Death Over ₦1 Trillion Fraud

Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has debunked a viral social media publication alleging that he was sentenced to death by hanging for allegedly stealing ₦1 trillion during his eight-year tenure.

In an interview with journalists, Ikpeazu described the report as false, mischievous, and laughable. He noted that the story was a poorly fabricated piece of propaganda lacking any factual basis.

The viral post, which spread across various online platforms on Tuesday, claimed that the Abia State High Court had sentenced him to death after investigators allegedly traced ₦1 trillion linked to the abandoned Abia International Airport project and a proposed light rail system to his foreign account in Australia.

The publication quoted a non-existent judge, identified as “Justice Chukwuemeka Nwogu,” as the one who purportedly delivered the judgment, stating that the alleged theft amounted to “betrayal of millions of Abians.”

Ikpeazu dismissed the report, insisting that such a judge does not exist in Nigeria. He added that the total allocation received by Abia State throughout his administration did not amount to ₦500 billion, let alone ₦1 trillion as claimed in the story.

“This is not news, it is laughable. No judge in Nigeria is called Justice Chukwuemeka Nwogu. The total allocation of Abia State in my eight years did not even reach ₦500 billion. So, where is the ₦1 trillion they claimed I stole coming from? When was the trial conducted?” he asked.

The former governor further stressed that the Nigerian judicial system does not classify financial crimes as capital offences warranting the death penalty.

“Even if it is true that there was fraud, is the punishment for fraud a capital offence? Let people be guided with the type of story they bring to the public,” he added.

Ikpeazu urged Nigerians to disregard the viral report, describing it as an attempt by mischief-makers to mislead the public and tarnish his image.