Government Worker By Day, Contractor At Night: Documents Reveal How Ebonyi State Surveyor-General, John Igbede Concealed Assets, Used Private Company To Hijack Multi-Million Naira Contracts and Built Mansion

Secrets Reporters

In a classic case of what appears to be a “hand of Esau, voice of Jacob” maneuver, documents obtained by SecretsReporters have pulled back the curtain on a series of ethical breaches and constitutional violations that suggest that beneath the polished veneer of officialdom in Ebonyi State, the State’s Surveyor-General, John Igbede has been playing both sides of the fence.

The paper trail, which landed on the desks of our investigators, paints a picture of a public servant walking a tightrope between his official duties and private gains. We gathered that Igbede has been running a “shadow empire” while holding a sensitive public office.

Documents reviewed by SecretsReporters show that the Ebonyi State Surveyor-General did not fully disclose his assets as required under Nigerian law. Internal sources told us that these properties include multiple duplexes nestled in the high-brow Zone 12 of Centenary City, Abakaliki, situated conveniently behind the Military Hospital. But the rabbit hole goes deeper; our investigation also revealed that he owns a sprawling plaza located in the same Zone 12, directly opposite the N.C. Angus petrol station.

Further checks by SecretsReportersconfirm that these properties are not only traceable but actively in use, raising serious compliance concerns within regulatory circles. Internal sources familiar with the records told our reporter that the omission of such high-value assets points to a deliberate attempt to sidestep statutory obligations tied to public office.

The plot thickens with the emergence of a company named Ogbuhere-Uzo Nig. Ltd which was floated on October 7th 2008 with Registration Number 777018. Like a ghost in the machine, this firm has been used as a proxy to funnel lucrative contracts back to its puppet master.

We gathered that Igbede is the invisible hand behind this company, which recently secured a contract worth ₦2,451,000 for the “production of protectors for windows” at the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) House in Abakaliki.

The estimate, dated August 2024, meticulously details costs for 12mm rods, angle irons, and painting for 96 windows.

Documents in our possession reveal that the contact phone number listed on the letterhead of Ogbuhere-Uzo Nig. Ltd., 08032311006, is the very same mobile number used by Surveyor John Igbede in his official capacity.

Section 5 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, strictly forbids public officers from engaging in the management of private businesses. “A public officer shall not, except where he is not employed on a full-time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession, or trade. “

Furthermore, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria is crystal clear on the matter of asset declaration. Paragraph 11 of the Fifth Schedule mandates that every public officer must declare their assets every four years and at the end of their term.

In addition, the Guidelines for the Conduct of Survey Practice in Nigeria (2020), published in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette, emphasizes the “quality, integrity, and accuracy” of geospatial data. Specifically, Section 3(1) mandates the disengagement of Surveyors-General from private practice to ensure cost-effectiveness and geospatial infrastructure integrity.

When contacted for comments, John Igbede denied being the owner of Ogbuhere-Uzo Nig. Ltd. He, however, noted that the company is inactive. On the issue of asset declaration, he said the matter was in court and so, he cannot comment on it. However, he urged our reporter to write to the Code of Conduct Bureau to ascertain if he declared the above mentioned assets or not.