EFCC arrest man for land racketeering in FCT
NAN-H-37
Arrest
By Emmanuel Mogbede
Abuja, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested one Abdullahi Rilwan for engaging in land racketeering in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja that the self-acclaimed building engineer was arrested on Oct. 31.
He said Rilwan’s offence bordered on operating a land racketeering syndicate, criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of classified documents, obtaining by false pretence and money laundering.
“Operatives of the EFCC had as part of investigation into the $2.1 billion arms procurement fraud, visited Kuje.
“The visit was in connection with several properties in the area suspected to be proceeds of money laundering,’’ Uwujaren said.
He added that investigations revealed that Rilwan was the owner of a filling station and a shopping complex both still under construction located along Pegi road in Kuje.
The EFCC spokesman said the commission’s operatives also gathered that Rilwan was in charge of the construction work.
He said though Rilwan denied ownership of the station, he confirmed being the engineer in charge of the construction work and the owner of the shopping complex.
“He also told operatives that he was the owner of two companies, Kaibo Oil and Gas, and Kaibo Properties, but could not account for the source of wealth.
“A visit to his office, however, revealed that he was involved in several shady and suspicious business transactions,’’ Uwujaren added.
This revelation, he said, made the commission’s operatives to beam their searchlight on Rilwan’s business activities.
The search, he added, unearthed several implicating documents in his custody, many of which he used to sale plots of land and other properties.
He said properties recovered from Rilwan’s residence included letter-head papers in the name of Kuje Area Council and an “Irrevocable Power of Attorney” in favour of Air Commodore Bassy Inyang.
Uwujaren said a “Right of Occupancy” document granted to Henryville Farms, Abuja, was also recovered from his residence among other implicating documents.
He, however, said that the filling station and the complex were currently under investigation, adding that Rilwan would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded. (NAN)
EEM/MST/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola