Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a suspect, Ifeanyi Mba, over an alleged N10 million land fraud in Enugu State.

 

 

The arrest followed a petition filed by a complainant who accused the suspect of collecting the money for the purchase of a plot of land that later turned out to be problematic.

 

According to the petitioner, he paid Mba N10 million for a parcel of land allegedly located at Plot 677, Owo/Premier Layout in the Ogui Nike community of Enugu.

The issue came to light after the buyer noticed that construction work had commenced on the same land by unknown individuals.

 

 

Explaining what happened, the petitioner said he contacted the suspect to seek clarification about the development on the property.

“When I reached out to him about the construction taking place on the land I paid for, he told me he later discovered that the property actually belongs to the government,” the petitioner said.

 

The complainant further alleged that attempts to retrieve the money paid to the suspect were unsuccessful, as the suspect allegedly became unreachable afterwards.

 

The EFCC said preliminary findings from its investigation revealed inconsistencies in the description of the land in question.

 

According to the Commission, there is no government-acquired layout identified as Plot 677 Owo/Premier, noting that Owo Layout and Premier Layout are two distinct layouts.

 

The anti-graft agency added that the suspect will be arraigned in court once investigations into the matter are concluded.