Widow raises alarm over invasion of property by EFCC

An Abuja-based widow, Aisha Abubakar, has raised an alarm over the alleged invasion of her property by EFCC. The property is located at Plots 2070 and 2071, Cadastral Zone AO2, Wuse Zone 3, near Tamara Guest Inn, by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).

Abubakar, who is also the managing director/chief executive officer, Sam’s Engineering Limited, told newsmen that her property was wrongly mentioned among those belonging to a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, which were listed for temporary forfeiture by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

She explained that when she got wind of the error, she returned to Nigeria from abroad, where she was staying and met with the former FCT minister who also confirmed that he did not own the property.

Abubakar added that when she contacted a Federal High Court, Abuja, presided by Justice G.O Kolawole to vacate the order of temporary forfeiture on the property, she was shocked that staff of NCAC, in company of security operatives had forcefully entered the property and took possession.

“On April 5th this year, my gate men called me that armed policemen were forcing themselves into my property. They confirmed to me on the phone that they were already measuring portions of my Property

They told me that they were from NCAC and that they were given the property by the EFCC. I then wrote to Director General of NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, telling him that the property is mine, which was wrongly listed as Sen. Bala Mohammed’s own by the EFCC. He did not respond.

However, while we were in court trying to vacate the order, before the day of hearing, NCAC had forcefully gained entry into the property.” She also alleged that cables worth N30 million that were yet to be installed has been stolen as they have been removed from the property without her knowledge.

“Cables worth N30 million have been stolen. My stores where valuable equipment was kept were broken into. Some equipment vandalised and my gate pulled down.”

Our reporter put a call to the special assistant (SA) media to the EFCC chairman, Tony Omokuedo, without response, just as even a text message sent to him was not responded to at the time of going to press.

Also, when the NCAC was contacted, an aide to the DG, who pleaded not to be named said he was not aware of any theft of cables worth N30 million and vandalisation of property, but that “if you are talking about the property given to NCAC by the EFCC, at Wuse, go to the EFCC to confirm it.”

Our correspondent later got in touch with the public relations officer of NCAC, Chas Nwa, who also said that he was out of town and not aware of the issues, but pleaded that he needed time to return and check the files before he could respond appropriately.

Credit: Leadership