Abia government debunks fake pension verification notice

The Abia State Government has warned members of the public, particularly pensioners, to disregard a false message circulating on social media about a purported State and Local Government Pension Verification Exercise scheduled to commence on Wednesday, October 16, 2025.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, described the circulating message as fake and misleading, clarifying that no such verification exercise has been planned for this year.

According to Kanu, the pension verification exercise being referenced actually took place in 2024, and the state government has not announced any new exercise for 2025.

“The Ministry of Information wishes to categorically state that this information is false, misleading, and not issued by the Abia State Government. The said verification exercise being referenced actually took place last year in 2024, and there is no such pension verification exercise scheduled for this year,” the statement read in part.

He urged pensioners not to appear at any purported verification venue, warning that the online notice was the handiwork of mischief-makers seeking to misinform the public.

The commissioner reaffirmed that Governor Alex Otti’s administration remains committed to the welfare of pensioners and would continue to uphold transparency and due process in all matters relating to pension administration.

He further advised citizens to rely only on verified government communication channels for accurate information and to help spread the clarification to prevent the spread of misinformation.