EFCC Docks Businesswoman Over Alleged ₦100m Land Fraud
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, arraigned a 50-year-old businesswoman, Zainab Muhammed, before Justice Ogbonnaya of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, sitting in Zuba, Abuja, over an alleged ₦100 million land fraud.
Muhammed, an interior decorator from Gwandabawa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, was arraigned on a one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Her arraignment followed her arrest after she allegedly failed to honour several invitations extended to her by the Commission over a petition by one Akinsanya Adeniyi.
The petitioner alleged that the defendant decieved him to enter into an agreement to jointly develop an estate, resulting in an alleged loss of ₦100 million.
Investigation revealed that the land sold to the nominal complainant by the dedendant does not exist, and the documents handed over to him were bogus and unverifiable.
The charge reads:
“That you, Zainab Muhammed, sometime in October, 2022, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) from Akinsanya Adeniyi and Aliyu Abubakar (the representatives of Boshh-Cupa Global Concepts Limited) which was paid to you through Dox Multi-purpose Co-operative Society Limited’s bank account domiciled with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc., being part payment for the land known as Plot 63 and Plot No: 587 at Kukwaba District, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, under the false pretence that the land exists and belongs to you, pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act, 2006”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following her plea, counsel to the EFCC, Sesan Ola, urged the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant pending the determination of the case. However, the defence counsel, S. A Mustapha, SAN, urged the court for bail on behalf of his client.
Justice Ogbonnaya admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of ₦10 million, with two sureties resident in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). Each surety is required to provide evidence of an unencumbered house and an account balance of ₦50 million, with the account predating the date of arraignment.
Thereafter, the case was adjourned to January 27 and February 1–2, 2027, for trial.
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