Abia State Government has cautioned pensioners and the general public to disregard a fake message circulating on social media, alleging that a State and Local Government Pension Verification Exercise will commence in the state on Wednesday, 16th October 2025.
In a statement issued in Umuahia on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, described the message as “false, misleading, and not issued by the Abia State Government.”
He clarified that the pension verification exercise being referred to in the viral message had already been conducted in 2024 and that there was no such exercise scheduled 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, 2025,” the statement read in part.
The Commissioner warned pensioners not to fall victim to misinformation by turning up at any purported verification venue, stressing that “no such exercise is taking place at this time.”
Prince Kanu reiterated the State Government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of pensioners, assuring that Governor Alex Otti’s administration would continue to uphold transparency and due process in all matters relating to pension administration.
He also urged citizens to rely only on verified government communication channels for accurate information.
“We urge all citizens to rely solely on official government communication channels for verified information and to help disseminate this clarification to prevent misinformation,” he added.
