ABUJA, NIGERIA – A coalition of civil society groups has raised the alarm over what it describes as a “brazen, violent invasion” of a property in Abuja by Defence Properties Ltd, accusing the agency of colluding with a convicted fraudster to forcibly seize land belonging to Efab Properties.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, The Mighty One Empowerment Foundation and a coalition of anti-fraud groups alleged that Defence Properties Ltd deployed heavy equipment to trespass on the land, acting under a purported joint venture agreement with one Sylvanus Enonche Oko, a man they describe as a “notorious fake General and chronic land grabber.”
The groups revealed that Oko is currently facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly impersonating a deceased businessman, Kenneth Ogbogu, to fraudulently take possession of properties. They claimed Oko altered ownership documents at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), but these were voided following an EFCC investigation.
Allegations of Complicity and Abuse of Power
The coalition expressed shock that Defence Properties Ltd “would allow itself to be engulfed in such a shady transaction,” accusing its management of a “severe failure of corporate governance” and raising “serious questions about complicity.” The statement condemned the use of “state apparatus, intimidation, and raw force” to occupy land that does not belong to the agency or its partner.
The groups have called on President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Defence, the National Security Adviser, and the Chief of Army Staff to intervene urgently, directing Defence Properties Ltd to withdraw its personnel and machinery. They warned the public to avoid dealings regarding the property through Oko or Defence Properties Ltd.
The EFCC has previously been commended for its prosecution of Oko, who is accused of identity theft, forgery, and unlawful land grabbing.
Signed:
Professor Barika Dominic Saro-Laka JP
Founder, The Mighty One Empowerment Foundation
For: Coalition of Civil Society Groups Against Fraud and Criminality
