A socio-cultural organisation of Izzi extraction, Oganiru Izzi, has challenged Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to either release the sacked Commissioner for Works, Stanley Lebechi Mbam, or charge him before a competent court if the government has evidence of any criminal offence against him.
The group said the alleged continued detention of the former commissioner without a formal charge raises concerns about due process and the rule of law, and called on the authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding his detention.
Key Highlights
- Oganiru Izzi is demanding the release or prosecution of Stanley Mbam.
- The group challenged Governor Francis Nwifuru to present evidence of any alleged offence.
- Stanley Mbam was removed as Ebonyi Commissioner for Works on September 19, 2026.
- The official announcement of his removal did not state a reason for the decision.
- Oganiru Izzi issued a three-day challenge concerning the former commissioner.
- The group threatened to disclose what it described as details of the Vanco Flyover project.
- It raised questions about alleged funding, payments, contracts and other financial issues concerning the project.
- The organisation also called for due process in any investigation involving the former commissioner.
Oganiru Izzi Demands Action on Stanley Mbam
The leader of Oganiru Izzi, Godwin Mbam, made the demand while speaking to journalists in Abakaliki on Monday.
He criticised what he described as the continued detention of Stanley Mbam without allowing a court to determine whether the former commissioner had committed any offence.
Godwin Mbam challenged the Ebonyi State Government to produce evidence if it believes the former commissioner committed a criminal offence.
“If there is credible evidence against him, charge him to court and let the court decide. If there is no case against him, he should be released,” he said.
The group also appealed to the Ebonyi State Police Command to uphold constitutional provisions and resist any pressure that could result in unlawful detention.
Stanley Mbam Was Removed as Ebonyi Works Commissioner
Governor Francis Nwifuru ordered the immediate removal of Stanley Lebechi Mbam as Commissioner for Works on September 19, 2026.
The governor directed Mbam to hand over government property in his possession, including his official vehicle, to the Secretary to the State Government.
He was also instructed to transfer his administrative responsibilities to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works. The official announcement did not disclose a reason for his removal.
Mbam had previously faced disciplinary action during Nwifuru’s administration. In February 2026, the governor suspended him indefinitely alongside the Commissioner for Infrastructure Development for Concession, Ogbonnaya Obasi Abara, over alleged dereliction of duty.
Izzi Group Issues Three-Day Vanco Flyover Challenge
Godwin Mbam also issued a three-day challenge to Governor Nwifuru, saying Oganiru Izzi would make public what it described as the “full details” of the Vanco Flyover project if the former commissioner was not released or charged.
He said the proposed disclosure would focus on issues including the project’s funding, payments, contracts and other financial details.
“We will let the world know the full details of the Vanco Flyover and how the funds were utilised,” he said.
The group challenged the state government to demonstrate transparency by making relevant project documents available to the public.
The Vanco Flyover and Underground Tunnel is one of the major infrastructure projects being executed in Ebonyi State. Earlier in 2026, Mbam, while still serving as Commissioner for Works, said the project was progressing and expressed confidence that it would be completed on schedule.
Oganiru Izzi Questions Anti-Corruption Campaign
The Izzi organisation also questioned what it described as the selective application of the anti-corruption campaign in Ebonyi State.
Godwin Mbam referred to allegations concerning an account reportedly frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and an alleged ₦1.5 billion forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He questioned why, in his view, similar action had allegedly not been taken against others if the allegations warranted investigation.
However, the claims concerning the alleged frozen account and ₦1.5 billion forfeiture were made by the Oganiru Izzi leader and were not independently established in the material available for this report.
Mbam said his organisation was not opposed to efforts to fight corruption but insisted that such efforts should be applied consistently.
“If Governor Nwifuru wants to fight corruption, let him fight it holistically. Nobody should be targeted while other serious allegations are ignored,” he said.
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Group Threatens Further Disclosure
Godwin Mbam further challenged Governor Nwifuru to publicly state whether he was aware of alleged corruption issues within the Ministry of Works.
He said that if the governor claimed not to know about any such issues, he would make public what he described as facts available to him.
“If Nwifuru publicly claims that he is unaware of corruption in the Works Ministry, I will make public the facts available to me,” he said.
The Oganiru Izzi leader maintained that the controversy should not become a political vendetta and argued that criminal liability should ultimately be determined through due process and the courts.
Vanco Flyover Remains at Centre of Dispute
The Vanco Flyover and Underground Tunnel project has remained a prominent part of Ebonyi State’s infrastructure programme.
In September, shortly before his removal, Mbam said the Nwifuru administration had completed more than 627 kilometres of roads across the state and expressed confidence in the progress of the Vanco project.
The latest allegations by Oganiru Izzi have now placed renewed attention on the project’s funding, contracts and expenditure.
The organisation said it would make further disclosures if its three-day demand concerning Stanley Mbam is not addressed.
For now, the allegations and threatened disclosures remain claims by the organisation, while the circumstances surrounding any reported detention of the former commissioner and any possible legal action remain matters requiring confirmation from the relevant authorities.
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