Authorities in Ebonyi State have apprehended six employees of the Ministry of Health for allegedly stealing government property, including vital health records and materials.
The suspects were arrested on Saturday night while attempting to move the items to undisclosed locations for sale.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who witnessed the incident, directed their immediate arrest and prosecution.
The governor disclosed this through a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor, on Sunday.
The statement identified one of the suspects as Mr. Ndukwe Ayansi and confirmed that five others were also involved. They were caught loading a Toyota Dyna truck with government materials, including patient data registers, hospital cards, and forms from the ministry’s warehouse.
Governor Nwifuru expressed outrage at the discovery, describing the act as a betrayal of the government’s efforts to strengthen the state’s healthcare system.
“How can you be selling government documents without approval on a weekend? These materials are urgently needed in rural hospitals to enhance healthcare delivery, yet they are being sold by individuals entrusted with their safekeeping,” the governor said at the scene.
The governor emphasized that such actions undermined the state’s initiatives to reform the health sector and would not be tolerated.
“This is pure sabotage,” he added. “Our hospitals lack essential supplies, and yet you are diverting these items for personal gain.”
The suspects are now in police custody, with investigations underway to ensure their prosecution.
