The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three men and two companies before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over an alleged N23 million land fraud.
The defendants; Paul Olufemi Ogunlana, Olaniyi Rufai, Dauda Bashir, Unified Luxury Homes Limited and Utopian Planning Ltd, were arraigned on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, before Justice Ngozika C. Nwabulu.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants obtained N23 million from Lucky U. Odigie under false pretences by presenting themselves as owners of a parcel of land measuring about 2.2 hectares in Gausa District, off Airport Road, Abuja.
According to the commission, the defendants approached Odigie with a purported Power of Attorney authorising them to sell the property.
Odigie subsequently paid N23 million for the land after being told that the defendants owned the property and that it was available for sale.
The EFCC, however, alleged that the representation was false and that the defendants did not have the authority to sell the property.
The defendants were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.
The first count alleged that the defendants, alongside Tayo Yusuf Adeyinka, who is currently at large, conspired in 2023 to obtain N23 million from Odigie under the false representation that they had authority to sell the property.
The charge was brought under Sections 96 and 97 of the Penal Code Law, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja), 1990.
The second count alleged that the defendants obtained the N23 million with intent to defraud by falsely representing that the 2.2-hectare parcel of land belonged to them and was available for purchase.
The offence was brought under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their pleas, EFCC prosecution counsel, Mariya Ujudud Sheriff, asked the court to allow the trial to commence.
The defence lawyers, however, filed applications seeking bail for their respective clients.
Osaretin A. Uwangue represented the first and fourth defendants, S. O. Yahaya represented the second defendant, while Najib Adamu represented the third and fifth defendants.
After hearing arguments from the defence lawyers, Justice Nwabulu granted bail to each defendant in the sum of N500,000, with one surety in the same amount.
The judge ordered that each surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 12.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until September 22, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
