The Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture 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 to ensure diligent prosecution on behalf of Hajia Colleen Yesufu.

Mr Opara said, “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. Mama Yesufu was informed by an unknown number in August 2023 that some persons had criminally trespassed on her property and were offering the 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 August 30, 2023. The FCTA Director of Investigations and Prosecutions, Joseph Eriki, scheduled numerous meetings with parties and the relevant FCTA departments but the trespassers blatantly refused to appear before the enquiry panel or send any documentation.’’

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.

Mr Opara said besides, petitions were written to the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission 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, the group 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 the same Yesufu family lands in Katampe in a brazen and unbelievable fraudulent scheme and sold off the same to many innocent Nigerians.

“Thankfully, the EFCC restored confidence in the system on this particular matter by securing an interim forfeiture order on December 20 from the Federal High Court in Abuja and has begun to recover the stolen properties for mama and her family,” he said

Mr Opara, therefore, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and his men to withdraw from the matter since the complainant no longer has confidence in them.

He said, “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 all their accomplices in the alleged fraud to court without further delay.”

(NAN)