UDISAM Transport Company petitions IGP, others over alleged advance fee fraud by Ebonyi ex-commissioner
Ebonyi Transport Company Files Fraud Allegations Against Former Official
Ebonyi State’s UDISAM Mass Transit Company has submitted petitions to the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps alleging advance fee fraud and criminal intimidation involving a former state official and his associates.
The petitions, dated April 3 and April 22, 2026, were filed through the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and represent the claims of the company’s Director, Comrade James Igwe. He accuses former Commissioner for Transport Hon. Celestine Nwali and others of fraudulently obtaining funds under false pretenses.
The transport company asserts that it previously secured approval and paid the requisite fees to the Ebonyi State Government for a loading bay at the Central Motor Park in Abakaliki during the previous administration. However, with the onset of the current administration, Nwali allegedly contacted the company, asserting control over motor park operations and instructing that payments be made through him and his associates.
UDISAM Mass Transit claims to have paid N400,000 to individuals presented as representatives of the former commissioner, believing the transaction to be legitimate.
The situation escalated when the company discovered irregularities related to the payment. Following this revelation, the accused reportedly mobilized individuals to disrupt the company’s operations, obstruct its business activities, and issue threats of violence.
The petitions allege that some of these individuals, reportedly dressed in military uniforms, engaged in intimidation tactics, storming the company’s premises and threatening the safety of the director, staff, and workers. The company is appealing to security agencies to investigate the matter thoroughly, bring those responsible to justice, and ensure the safety of lives and property, cautioning that failure to address the issue may lead to a breach of peace.
When reached for comment, former Commissioner Celestine Nwali stated he was in a meeting and could not respond to the allegations. Another individual, Mr. Toochukwu Nwali, whose account was reportedly used to receive the funds on behalf of the former commissioner, acknowledged an ongoing issue with the company’s director but was unavailable for further comment as he was in the Ikwo Local Government Area at the time of the report.
