A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has ordered a probe into how funds allocated to 17 local council areas of Abia State from 2019 to 2023 were expended.

The ruling that was delivered by Justice Bello Kawu further directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deposit with its registry a Certified True Copy (CTC) of its investigation report or the detailed status of the funds allocated to the councils within the four years.

More so, the court ordered the seizure of international travelling documents of three former officials of the state government.

They are the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, Christopher Enweremadu, a former aide to the immediate past governor of the state, Erondu Uchenna Erondu, and the Permanent Secretary attached to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Deaconess Joy Nwanju.

The trio were listed as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants in the substantive suit marked: FCT/HC/CV /4961/2024, which was brought before the court by an activist, Mr Chidiebere Ojukwu, who identified himself as a citizen of Abia State and an advocate for transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.

Justice Kawu made the orders on the strength of an ex-parte application that was filed before the court by the plaintiff.

The EFCC was cited as the 4th defendant in the matter. Meanwhile, the court, which approved the abridgement of time within which the matter would be heard, also listed some documents the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants should produce before it.

It held that the defendants should, within 48 hours of the service of the order on them, declare on oath and file with its registry, a list of all the companies they have an interest in or occupy the position of a director, as well as Forms CAC7 & CAC 7A of such companies.

Other documents the court requested included a memorandum and article of association of such companies. Evidence of filing annual returns with the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Corporate Affairs Commission from 2019 to date.

“Audited financial statements of such companies from 2019 to date. Self-Assessment Forms filed with the FIRS. Individual Tax Clearance Certificate from 2019 to date. List of bank account details of such companies (if any). List of individual bank accounts (both domestic and foreign), and list of moveable and immovable properties (both developed and undeveloped) within Nigeria and outside Nigeria.”