The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested one Alhassan Garba over his alleged involvement in several cases of land fraud in Kaduna State.

The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, the suspect, who is entangled in scores of land racketeering matters in Kaduna, parades himself as an estate agent.

Mr Oyewale said the suspect usually leaves his unsuspecting victims in tears and regret in their dealings with him.

He said, “In one of such cases, the suspect allegedly sold a piece of land to his victim at the sum of N14.5 million after which the victim discovered that the documents were forged and that the land did not belong to the suspect. The commission’s investigation further revealed that the victim paid the money into a UBA account provided by the suspect. An analysis of the account showed that the sum of N900,000 and N8.8 million were respectively transferred to the suspect and to a company account.’’

He said that in another matter, the suspect in October 2020 approached a victim through one of his accomplices, who advertised a piece of land at Tsaunin Kura G.R.A, Sabonn Tasha, Kaduna with the claim that it belonged to one Muhammed Khalid.

He added, “As the victim showed interest to buy the land, Garba, alongside his accomplice and Khalid visited the victim in his office where N8 millions was agreed as price for the land. The victim paid N7,802,000 in tranches into the Zenith Bank account of Khalid and an additional cash of N198,000 to Garba. The victim was given an offer of grant, bearing Barnabas Dauda and a deed to 7,802,000 insigned as assignor, while one Imam signed as witness.’’

He noted that the victim later visited the land, only to realise that it rather belonged to someone else.

Mr Oyewale said that in a case reported to the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the commission on January 23, 2023, the suspect and five others, allegedly sold plots of land worth N32 million to a victim with fake title documents, in March 2018.

He stated, “In 2022, the suspect alongside two others, allegedly approached a victim, while posing as genuine owners of a plot of land, situated on No. 33B Yusuf Hamisu Road T.P.O Government Area Center Residential Layout Mahuta Igabi L.G.A of Kaduna State. The suspect and his cohorts succeeded in selling the land to the victim at the cost of N2 million only for the victim to later discover that the property did not belong to them.

“Garba once jumped the commission’s administrative bail and had to be smoked out of his hideout in Kabala Costain, Maiduguri Road, Kaduna and rearrested on August 12. He will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are concluded in any of the cases involving him.’’

(NAN)