Omokamo, the CEO of Homadil Realty Limited, has been accused of fraudulently tampering with the Land Information System and forging title documents in the Abuja Geographic Information System.
The Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, is facing allegations of shielding Mrs. Bilikisu Ishaku Aliu, also known as Rebecca Omokamo, from prosecution.
Omokamo, the CEO of Homadil Realty Limited, has been accused of fraudulently tampering with the Land Information System and forging title documents in the Abuja Geographic Information System.
Despite these serious allegations, it appears that Egbetokun, who became the 22nd Inspector General of Police in June 2023, is protecting Omokamo from facing the consequences of her actions.
Her indictment is contained in a report by the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority's Investigation & Prosecution Department dated October 17, 2024, and signed by Mr. Eriki Joseph, Director of Investigation and Prosecution.
The report also recommended the prosecution of Mrs. Aliu, her company, and staff members who colluded with her in the alleged forgery and tampering of information related to Plot No 4022, Guzape District Cadastral Zone A09, Abuja, which legally belongs to Alhaja Colleen Yesufu and her family.
Yesufu and family are being currently represented by Falana & Falana Chambers.
Unfortunately, the police authorities have continued to shield her from prosecution, deploying a retinue of policemen to protect her.
Meanwhile her indictment is based on a report by the Investigation & Prosecution Department, following a petition filed by Alhaja Colleen Yesufu and her family.
Indictment Report
The document titled: "Report of the Investigation & Prosecution Department in respect of Plot No 4022, Guzape District Cadastral Zone A09, Abuja, FCT," recommended that all developments on the plot in question should be removed.
It described such developments as illegal structures.
"The Director, Investigation and Prosecution is in receipt of a letter dated 31/8/2023 from the law firm of Point Partners on behalf of Yesufu family and Alhaja Colleen Mero Yesufu in respect of the above subject matter.
"In view of this, the Director called for a meeting involving the relevant stakeholders - the Lands Department, Development Control and the parties involved," the report noted.
According to the report, the meeting involved representatives from stakeholder departments including Legal Services Secretariat: Joseph Eriki (Director Investigation & Prosecution Dept); Miriam Ifeyinwa Agbawodikeizu (Principal State Counsel Investigation & Prosecution Dept); Land Administration Department: Mahmud Jibril (Chief Lands Officer); Department of Development Control - Mr Michael Bawa and Mrs Grace Ogbole.
"Complainant - Yesufu Family - Yesuf Abdul Rahman and Solicitor to Yesufu Family - Samuel Amata."
According to the report, the term of reference of the meeting was to look into the complaint and the Developers Approval and resolve same ensuring there is no resort to litigation.
The report noted that on August 18, 2023, Samuel Amata stated that their client received a strange telephone call enquiry regarding the purported sale of flats currently being developed on her property in Guzape District, which was never put up for sale.
It said, "That the purported buyer who made the enquiry insisted that the flats on the property being offered for sale by the developer of the project are at advance stage (carcass development) and that the developer had shown them the Right of Occupancy and Power of Attorney, purportedly signed by other client.
"That the purported buyer also informed their client that he got their client contact information from documents uploaded at (AGIS) while conducting a due diligence search and thus warned our client to verify this information by herself.
"That their client immediately visited the property and made inquiries at AGIS and Department of Development Control. Their client confirmed that some unknown persons have indeed criminally trespassed on her property, and are carrying out aggressive development and offering same for sale as flats at carcass stage to unsuspecting public and innocent buyers.
"Their client found out that their property file in AGIS has been fraudulently tempered with by staff or officials with access to the System by uploading or adding particulars of a forged Power of Attorney (POA) and other fake documents.
"That their client’s further investigations at the Development Control also reveal that this criminal syndicate has used a forged document uploaded onto the AGIS System to fraudulently apply for a building plan approval, which was approved sometime in March 2023 without the consent or authority of their client.
"That their client has never put up her property under reference for sale, neither has she developed same or contracted any developer on the property and is still in physical custody of the Original Statutory Right of Occupancy, the POA, and all relevant documents."
The report noted that during a meeting on September 12, 2023, two representatives from the Department of Development Control and the solicitor to the Yesufu's family and Alhaja Colleen Mero Yesufu attended the meeting while the alleged developer (Aliu) was absent even though she had been put on notice.
"The representatives of the Department of Development Control stated that there was only one original allottee to the land. That before Development Control grants any approval, they usually corresponded with Lands Department on the availability or otherwise of the land allocated for which approval is been sought,” it said.
"Consequently, on the 19th of September 2023, another meeting was held and the Developer failed to either attend or send a representative while the complainant and his Solicitor and the representative from Lands Department were all in attendance,” it said.
The report noted that throughout the investigation, the developer refused to appear, despite the fact that on 4th October 2023 another letter of invitation was extended to her.
In the course of the investigation, the panel observed that the developer (Aliu) "connived with some staff of the Lands Department and breached the system by introducing an entry purportedly supporting a non-existent Power of Attorney in favour of the Developer with respect to the plot".
In view of the foregoing the panel recommended: "That the development put in the plot in question is illegal and therefore the Department of Development Control be mandated to remove the illegal structures.
"That the Developer should be prosecuted for tempering with the Land Information System (LIS) and forging title documents to plot No. 4022 Guzape District Cadastral Zone A09, Abuja."
Meanwhile, Falana and Falana Chambers petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Egbetokun, against men and officers of the Intelligence Respond Team (IRT) Abuja over alleged “abuse of police powers and conspiratory roles in forgery, fraud and criminal trespass in respect of title document to and property situate at Plot 4022, Guzape District Cadastral Zone A09, Abuja FCT”.
The petition dated June 10, 2024, and signed by T. E. Olawanle for the chamber, appealed for the IGP's urgent intervention in the matter by prevailing on IRT police officers to desist from harassing and intimidating their client's relatives as well as respecting the rights to freedom of expression and press as guaranteed under section 39 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).
Giving some facts of the matter, the petition stated: "Vide a petition dated December 18, 2023 to your esteemed office on the above- captioned matter, we complained about conspiracy, forgery, fraud and criminal trespass against Rebecca Omokamo, (aka Bilikisu Ishaqu Aliyu) of Homadil Reality Limited & others.
"Pursuant to the foregoing, your office directed the Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory Command vides a letter dated 3rd January 2024 to furnish your office detailed report for guidance in reaching a decision. However, this was the last time our office received an update as regards our petition.
"Dissatisfied with how our client's case was handled, pursuant to this, we petitioned the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to impede unsuspecting Nigerians from investing into a property fraud network and prosecution of the prime suspect.
"The Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission commenced an investigation into the facts presented in our petition. Parties were invited for interviews, however, the prime suspect herein refused and/or neglected to honour the anti-graft agency's invitation to unravel the circumstances surrounding her fraudulent property schemes.”
It was noted that she instituted a case against the EFCC to stop its investigation but the matter was dismissed by a court, which asked her to submit herself for investigation
"In the wake of these events, the suspect herein has been harassing and intimidating our clients using the men and officers of the Intelligence Respond Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force, Abuja,” the petition said.
"In furtherance to the above, the said officers at the behest of the suspect herein have been harassing and intimidating Emmanuel Agbo, a staff of Premium Times Newspaper from exercising his constitutional rights under section 39 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) of press freedom in a bid to stop him from publishing his findings against the suspect."
SaharaReporters obtained multiple video clips showing a team of policemen providing security for Mrs. Bilikisu Ishaku Aliu. One of the videos captures a policeman opening and closing car doors for her.
The visuals seem to corroborate allegations that Egbetokun has been shielding Aliyu from prosecution, despite her indictment for fraudulent activities related to land dealings in Abuja.
Meanwhile, in another letter to the IGP dated August 12, 2024, titled: "Rejoinder to the publication made on the 21st day of July 2024 by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi and the abuse of police protection to Rebecca Omokamo (aka Bilikisu Ishaqu Aliu), Falana urged the police boss to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that led to the deployment of a retinue of police personnel to protect "this suspect and the illegal development in question".
"We also have evidence that on the 22nd July 2024 (a day after the Force PRO's publication), this same suspect and her family members illegally moved into this contentious property at Plot 4022 in Guzape, Abuja with the protection of five (5) fully armed policemen, even while her husband Mr. Isaac Ishaku Yusuf was being detained by the EFCC as against all known conventions and warnings.”
"The suspect has continued to build ‘illegally’ on the land to date without a building plan as the earlier one was withdrawn by the FCTA in October 2023 upon a thorough investigation and numerous warnings/markings to ‘stop work’ by both the FCTA Development Control and the EFCC," Falana said in the letter signed on his behalf by Taiwo E. Olawanle Esq and Adebayo A. Oniyelu Esq.
"...It is essential that the Nigeria Police Force carefully scrutinizes the procedure for the deployment of armed policemen paid for by Nigerian taxpayers to protect questionable characters who are under investigations in a bit to shield them from arrest and prosecution," the letter added.
SaharaReporters observed that when Egbetokun turned 60 on September 4, 2024, Omokamo (Hajia Aliu) sponsored newspaper adverts to congratulate the police chief.
Meanwhile, efforts made by SaharaReporters to get Mrs Bilikisu Aliu’s reaction were unsuccessful as she neither answered her calls nor replied to a message sent to her mobile line.
Also, the Police Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, did not answer his calls or reply to a text message seeking his comments on the issue.