The Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture (INAHURAT), on Wednesday, asked the Nigerian Police Force to withdraw from the ongoing investigation into Abuja land dispute.
Director of Legal of INAHURAT, Maxwell Opara, who made the call during a press briefing in Abuja, said the call became necessary in order to ensure diligent prosecution on behalf of Hajia Colleen Yesufu.
“The 79-year-old Mama Yesufu became the beneficial owner of a property lying and situate at Plot 4022, Guzape District, Cadastral Zone AO9, Abuja, FCT in December 2010, after buying it from the original allottee and executing the requisite transfer documents.
(Mr Walter Ogbonna; Mr Maxwell Opara, Director of Legal, the Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture (INAHURAT) and Mr Paul Obameso during a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.)
“Mama Yesufu was informed by an unknown number in August 2023 that some persons had criminally trespassed on her property and were offering same as investment properties to innocent Nigerians.
“Subsequently, Mama’s lawyers petitioned the Solicitor General at the Legal Services Secretariat, FCTA and its numerous agencies i.e. Lands, AGIS and Development Control who promptly marked a ‘STOP WORK’ of the development on the 30th August 2023.
“The FCTA Director of Investigations and Prosecutions Mr Joseph Eriki, scheduled numerous meetings with all parties and the relevant FCTA departments but the trespassers blatantly refused to appear before the enquiry panel or send any documentation,” he said.
The lawyer alleged that investigations later revealed that a fake power of attorney was fraudulently registered and a forged Right-of-Occupancy was used to obtain the building approvals by the suspect.
He said this led to the withdrawal of the building permit, the sealing and marking of the building for demolition in October 2023.
Opara said besides, petitions were written to the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for discreet investigations.
He alleged that while the EFCC investigated the matter, the police did not.
“This matter was reported to the Nigeria Police on several occasions but the investigation was compromised and stopped for no justifiable reason,” he alleged.
According to him, without going into too much of the details with the ongoing investigations, we can confirm that the EFCC conducted a thorough and professional investigation, and have concluded their investigation.
“It is important to note that in the course of the EFCC investigation, it was discovered that this same suspect also forged AGIS and CAC documents of this same Yesufu family lands in Katampe in a brazen and unbelievable fraudulent scheme and sold off same to many innocent Nigerians.
“Thankfully, the EFCC restored confidence in the system on this particular matter by securing an interim forfeiture order on the 20th of December from the Federal High Court in Abuja and has began to recover the stolen properties for Mama and her family,” he said
Opara, therefore, called on the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and his men to withdraw from the matter since the complainant no longer have confidence in them.
“Finally, we call on the EFCC Chairman Mr Ola Olukoyede to finish the good work the commission and its operatives have done thus far, by charging suspects and ail their accomplices in the alleged fraud to court without further delay.”
