The Inspector General of Police has filed a five-count charge against a female lawyer, Ms. Stella Oyiogu, and three others over alleged acts of willful misconduct and fraudulent activities involving a prime plot of land in Abuja.
The charges stem from a petition filed by some of Nigeria’s prominent statesmen, including former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (retd), the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, and the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa. The trio, who are trustees of the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA), accused the defendants of fraudulently transferring ownership of the association’s land without authorization.
The other defendants in the case are Linus Ukachukwu, Ibrahim Salmanu, and former BOBA Secretary-General, Professor Ahmed Tijani Mora.
According to court documents filed on September 27, 2024, by the Force Headquarters Legal/Prosecution Section, the defendants conspired to divest BOBA of the prime plot allocated to the association in 1983. The land, initially reallocated in 2007 to Haida Properties, was later transferred in 2009 to Eagle Aluminum, owned by Ukachukwu, without the consent of BOBA’s Board of Trustees.
Investigations revealed that in 2012, Prof. Mora allegedly acted without consulting the association’s leadership and unilaterally surrendered the land to Eagle Aluminum. The matter came to light in 2017, prompting BOBA to petition the then-Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, who restored the association’s title to the land.
However, Haida Properties and Eagle Aluminum had already initiated legal proceedings, securing a joint development agreement that excluded BOBA’s interests.
Following further police investigations, the accused were charged before an FCT High Court for conspiracy and fraud. Ms. Oyiogu, a lawyer, has also been referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for her alleged role in the fraudulent transaction.
Court filings allege that the defendants fraudulently misrepresented themselves as authorized officers of BOBA to facilitate the land transfer. Prof. Mora is specifically accused of misusing his position as secretary-general to unlawfully dispose of BOBA’s property.
Ms. Oyiogu is separately charged with filing misleading court documents in 2013, deceiving the court into stripping BOBA of its land rights. The charges cite multiple violations under the Penal Code Act, including conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and dishonest misappropriation of property.
The case underscores the long-running legal battle over the Abuja property, with BOBA’s new executive vowing to pursue justice.
