EFCC arrests lawmaker over land scam

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly Adebayo Muhammed for obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of about N4million.

Muhammed, who is representing Malete/Ipuru Constituency in the state’s house of assembly, is alleged to have sold some plots of land which did not belong to him to a group of teachers in 2015, EFCC said in a statement.

The lawmaker issued receipts to the buyers in the name of a non-existent company. It was further alleged that he has so far resisted all attempts by his victims to recover their money.

The complainants, Mary Kolade, Ezekiel Babatunde, Felicia Adebiyi, Grace Awolola, Julius Omole and Abiodun Balogun alleged that the suspect sold plots of land to them, which he claimed to be the owner but that they later discovered that the land belonged to the Federal Ministry of Land and Housing.

“After paying about N4million (Four Million Naira) to the lawmaker, we decided to carry out survey on the plots of land, so as to put our survey number in the Deed of Transfer between him and us but only to discover through the officials of the Kwara State Ministry of Land and Housing that the said plots of land belonged to the Federal Ministry of Land and Housing.

“Other people who also wanted to develop the plots of land he sold to them were equally barred from constructing anything on it,” the complainants said.

EFCC said Muhammed would soon be charged to court.