Former Super Eagles striker Victor Ezeji has been detained in Port Harcourt due to allegations of fraud involving cheques amounting to nearly ₦40 million.
According to recent reports, the 44-year-old, who had a distinguished career in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) and won the CAF Champions League twice with Enyimba, was arrested by operatives from the Rivers State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) after weeks of surveillance.
Investigators disclosed that Ezeji and his wife, Celestina, acquired 60,000 liters of diesel from businessman Dagogo Emmanuel in July.
However, the couple allegedly issued cheques totaling ₦39.8 million, which subsequently bounced. Following this incident, both reportedly went into hiding before police operatives ultimately apprehended Ezeji this week.
Police sources confirmed that the former forward acknowledged signing the cheques but asserted that he was not directly involved in the transaction, claiming that his wife managed the deal. Celestina is currently evading capture.
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Ezeji’s brother, Chuks, also defended him, asserting that the ex-footballer was being unjustly implicated in the situation due to family connections.
The arrest of Ezeji has caused a stir in Nigerian football circles, as the former striker was once hailed as one of the most accomplished players in the NPFL.
Ezeji’s career spanned nearly two decades, featuring successful tenures at Sharks, Dolphins, Sunshine Stars, Heartland, and two periods at Enyimba, where he won the CAF Champions League twice. He also played internationally with Club Africain in Tunisia and earned eight caps for Nigeria, scoring four goals.
Highly regarded during his playing career, Ezeji was the NPFL top scorer in 2002 and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2004. The case is expected to move forward once Celestina is captured, with further updates anticipated from the Rivers State Police Command.
