The Nigeria Police have arrested Joseph Eriki, Director of Investigation and Prosecution at the Federal Capital Territory Administration, over his alleged role in a major land fraud case.
Eriki was picked up alongside another suspect, Boniface Agwu, after failing to appear in court multiple times to answer to a criminal case filed by the federal government.
Justice Suleiman Belgore of the FCT High Court in Garki had issued a bench warrant for their arrest on May 27 after four adjournments without their appearance.
The case involves allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery, and trespassing on land belonging to a private firm, Etha Ventures.
According to the charge, the suspects, including several companies and individuals, allegedly entered Plot 461 to 470 and Plot 486 to 496 in the Sabon Lugbe East Layout of Abuja. They were accused of erecting structures and trying to sell the land, knowing it did not belong to them.
The prosecution claimed the group went as far as securing a consent judgment through fraudulent means, using it to transfer the land title to one of the companies involved, Super Structures Limited.
David Kaswe, the prosecutor, told the court that the accused had earlier been granted administrative bail but refused to show up for trial.
“Efforts to produce the defendants in court have failed,” Kaswe told the judge. “They were properly informed of the charges and the court dates.”
Despite promises from their lawyers to present them, the court upheld its warrant for their arrest and set October 30 as the new date for arraignment.
Eriki and Agwu are now in police custody and will remain there until the scheduled court appearance.
Other defendants in the case include Ikechukwu Kanu, Donatec Electrical Company Limited, Weatherfield Engineering, Marine Service Limited, Asher Information Services Limited, Prince Isaac Omoluwa, Nwaimoneye Augustine Onyisi, Sarajo Aliyu, and Ogbole Michael. Many of them are still at large.
