An Abuja real estate developer faces Abuja Land Fraud and N800m money laundering charges, alleging forged documents for high value plots
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] major Abuja Land Fraud case has begun as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Abuja based real estate developer Rebecca Godwin Isaac, alongside others.
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The charges in two separate land fraud cases also include money laundering, involving N800 million allegedly obtained from the scams.
Ms Godwin Isaac, also known as Bilikisu Ishaku Aliyu, faces multiple land fraud charges in various courts. She appeared with her co defendants before trial judge Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The two cases against the defendants were heard consecutively.
Defendants include Ms Godwin Isaac, her husband Isaac Yusuf, Richard John (also referred to as Idagwo John), and two companies, Homadil Realty Limited and Rychado Homes Limited.
In the first case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025, prosecutors arraigned the defendants on six counts of fraudulent acquisition of Plot 4022 in the Guzape District of Abuja.
The other matter, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025, saw the EFCC arraign them on 17 counts of fraudulent sales of plots of land in Katampe District, Cadastral Zone B07.
These charges include money laundering involving N800 million proceeds of the alleged fraudulent sales.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges read out during the two separate court sessions, each concluding with a bail hearing.
Defence lawyers presented identical bail arguments across both cases, with the prosecution maintaining the same position.
The judge issued a uniform ruling applicable to all defendants in both matters.
Ms Godwin Isaac and Mr Yusuf, represented by C.A.S. Ocholugo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), requested bail on humanitarian grounds, citing their need to care for their two year old child.
Mr Yusuf also sought temporary release to his counsel pending bail perfection, requests the prosecution did not oppose. Mr John, represented by SAN M.A. Ebukwe, applied orally for bail.
In her ruling, Mrs Abdulmalik granted bail to Mrs Godwin Isaac and her husband, Mr Yusuf, in the sum of N10 million each, with two sureties in like sum.
Sureties must be federal civil servants not below Grade Level 16, present evidence of salary for the last three months, submit title documents of landed property, and surrender their passports to the court.
The court also ordered that the defendants must not travel outside the country without court approval.
Mrs Godwin Isaac will remain at the Suleja Correctional Centre until she fulfils her bail conditions. However, Mr Yusuf received temporary release into his counsel’s custody.
This decision came after their lawyer’s plea for one parent to care for their young child.
Conversely, Mr John, whose lawyer made only an oral submission, was denied bail. He was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings in both cases.
The prosecution expressed readiness to proceed, having lined up 13 witnesses for both cases. The judge scheduled trials in both cases to commence consecutively on July 21 and 22.
“The EFCC alleged that the defendants used forged documents to illegally acquire and sell high value plots of land in Abuja,” a statement from the anti graft agency read.
They claimed the accused forged land documents and a Power of Attorney.
They also made false representations to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), and the Department of Development Control to secure ownership of the Guzape plot.
The EFCC further alleged the forged documents facilitated building approvals, after which Homadil Realty Ltd sold the property.
The commission said the proceeds were disguised as legitimate real estate income. They also accused them of defrauding Dana Waziri of N70 million through a fraudulent land deal.
Similarly, the EFCC charged the defendants with 17 counts in the second case, alleging fraudulent sales of land plots in Katampe District and laundering of the proceeds.
The EFCC claims the defendants falsely asserted ownership of Plots 1861, 1862, and 1863, and fraudulently collected hundreds of millions of naira from prospective buyers between 2023 and 2024.
Specifically, Mrs Godwin Isaac allegedly received N62 million from Abu Abubakar Gambo, N75 million from Usman Abba Jalo, and N100 million from Veti Integrated Concept Ltd and Triodos Integrated Ltd.
She also faces charges of laundering N500 million through Homadil Realty Ltd.
Mrs Godwin Isaac denied wrongdoing in a July 2024 petition to President Bola Tinubu. In her petition, she claimed legal acquisition of the disputed Guzape plot from her former employer, Mr Richard, and asserted possession of genuine documents.
However, an internal investigation by the FCTA Legal Secretariat, ordered by the presidency following Mrs Godwin Isaac’s petition, found that an Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) staff member illegally inserted and deleted electronic notations in Mrs Godwin Isaac’s favour, facilitating development approval for the disputed land.
A letter dated October 8, 2024, signed by FCTA General Counsel Salman Dako, acknowledged the manipulation but noted the AGIS Director could not identify the staff involved.
In related legal actions, the Nigeria Police Force arraigned Mrs Godwin Isaac and other defendants before an FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja, on similar charges in January. Justice Sadia Mayana granted them bail of N10 million with two sureties each.
In December 2024, trial judge Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an interim 60 day forfeiture order on the disputed plots, pending EFCC’s investigation.
The order cited forged documents and irregular development permits as grounds for the temporary forfeiture.
Colleen Yesufu, a 79 year old woman, claims to be the rightful owner of the properties in Guzape and Katampe, Abuja.
She has petitioned President Bola Tinubu in an open letter, alleging fraudulent takeover and sale of the properties.
Mrs Yesufu accused Ms Godwin Isaac of orchestrating the land fraud in collusion with corrupt police officers and land officials.
In her letter, she responded to Ms Godwin Isaac’s earlier open letter to the president, where the developer denied wrongdoing and claimed lawful ownership.
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Mrs Yesufu maintains her properties, Plot 4022 in Guzape and Plots 1861, 1862, and 1863 in Katampe, were acquired legitimately over decades but were unlawfully taken and sold using forged land documents.
