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Former Abia State Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji has dismissed reports alleging that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided his residence and recovered large sums of money, election materials, and other valuables, describing the claims as false, malicious, and deliberately fabricated.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Media Director of the Chinedum Orji Media Organisation, Paul Njoku, who said the viral report was aimed at misleading the public and damaging the reputation of the former governor.
According to the statement, the widely circulated report claimed that EFCC operatives stormed Orji’s residence in Umuahia, Abia State, where they allegedly recovered billions of dollars, pre-written election results, gold bars, expensive jewellery and several luxury vehicles.
The organisation, however, insisted that no such operation ever took place, maintaining that the allegations were entirely baseless.
Refuting the allegations, Njoku maintained that the EFCC neither raided the former governor’s residence in Umuahia nor searched any of his properties anywhere in the country.
“At no time did the EFCC raid his residence in Umuahia or any other location in Nigeria. Consequently, no incriminating items, election materials, or any of the alleged exhibits were recovered, as no such operation ever took place,” the statement said.
The media organisation further stated that Theodore Orji is “hale, hearty and in good health,” dismissing insinuations that he was facing any fresh action from the anti-graft agency.
According to the statement, although the organisation initially considered ignoring the reports, it decided to respond after receiving numerous enquiries from friends, associates, supporters and members of the public who sought clarification over the viral claims.
“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the malicious publication, but the volume of enquiries from concerned Nigerians has made it necessary to set the records straight,” the statement added.
The organisation urged journalists and members of the public to verify information through credible and official sources before publishing or sharing reports capable of misleading the public or damaging reputations.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the political aspirations of former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, whom it described as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer for the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group accused unnamed individuals of spreading falsehoods to gain relevance and insisted that such campaigns would not distract it from pursuing its political objectives.
“We urge members of the public to disregard the false report in its entirety. It is the handiwork of mischief makers whose stock-in-trade is the dissemination of falsehood to score cheap political points,” the statement concluded.
The controversy followed widespread reports earlier in the week alleging that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the Umuahia residence of the former Abia State governor.
The reports claimed that the operatives recovered huge sums of cash in local and foreign currencies, gold bars, expensive jewellery, luxury vehicles and materials allegedly linked to election activities.
The claims quickly gained traction across social media and were subsequently republished by several online news platforms, generating widespread public interest and debate before the former governor’s media team issued its rebuttal.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not issued any official statement confirming that such an operation took place.
The origin of the viral report also remains unclear. Although the claims were widely circulated on social media before appearing on several online platforms, no official source has owned the publication or provided evidence to substantiate the allegations.
If the report is eventually proven to be false, it would underscore the growing challenge of fake news and misinformation confronting the Nigerian media landscape and reinforce the need for stricter verification before sensitive reports are published.
It remains to be seen whether Theodore Orji, popularly known as “Ochendo Global,” will seek an investigation to identify those behind the publication and press for appropriate legal action.
As the controversy continues, attention is also likely to focus on whether the EFCC will eventually issue an official statement to settle the matter.
