Shocking: 61 Houses, 45 Plots Of Land Recovered From NSCDC Officer

It was a shocking revelation, yesterday, at the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee probing alleged illegal land allocations and racketeering in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja as the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta testified that his agency had seized a total of 61 houses, 45 plots of land at different locations within the FCT and a duplex from an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in the course of on-going investigations into land scams in FCT.

The several bank accounts which the official used for the illegal land deals had been traced and frozen by the agency. The ICPC boss, however, disclosed that the 61 houses seized from the Civil Defence Corps topshot was made up of 40 three-bedroom flats, 20 two-bedroom flats and a duplex.

According to him, the agency swung into action following a tip-off from the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin who personally visited him on May 15. He said official letters had been written to the appropriate government land authorities on the status of the seized property and publication made in national dailies for the public to know so as not to fall victims of illegal deals again.

Interestingly, the 61 houses are made up of 40 units of three bedroom flats, 20 units of two bedroom flats and a duplex were seized from a single officer.

He further stated that the company through which the NSCDC officials carried out the illegal deals were not among the six other companies that were investigated, even as he promised to commence another round of investigation on it.

While stating that all the interrogated officers had been released on administrative bail except an official who was on the run, Nta said that investigation had revealed that the affected officers used the NSCDC’s Co-operative Society to swindle members of the public who thought it was a genuine transaction especially when it involved the name of the organization, the transactions taking place within the premises of the FCT Command of the Corps located at Gudu district and the officers wearing NSCDC uniforms during such illegal transactions.

Asked if there would be any compensation for the 186 victims of the scam since the property of the perpetrators had been seized, Nta said: “That is beyond our power, the final decision rests on the court. Ours is to arrest, investigate and prosecute, but as we speak, we have established abuse of office against some of the officers investigated, it is the court that will now decide their fate, but the law recognizes the interest of procurer”.