Atiku, a key witness in the alleged massive fraud uncovered in the Ogun State Bureau of Lands, has reportedly died under mysterious circumstances.
An Ogun-based online newspaper, Prowling Eagles reported the alleged witness’ death, noting that it occurred on February 1, 2022.
The witness was said to have been privy to how illegal deals valued at over N200 million were cut allegedly by Director of Land Management, in the Bureau of Lands and Survey, Adewale Adedeji, one Simire Sunday, staff of Inland Revenue Service, IRS, an estate agent, Ogunmolu Jamiu, Abiola Olorunnisola, staff of OPIC, Dayo a.k.a Opa and one Taoreed, both of Bureau of Lands and Survey.
The syndicate was said to have resold landed property already issued with Certificate of Occupancy to a Chinese firm.
The Director of Land Management reportedly signed documents which the Chinese company used to prepare draft for payment on the land.
The director in the land bureau was said to have been suspended, alongside a colleague, one Pastor Omobo, after the matter blew open.
The IRS staff, Simire was said to have helped the syndicate to convert the draft to cash.
Dayo reportedly returned N10 million and a car, suspected to be part of his share of the proceeds of the deal, after he was quizzed on the date of Atiku’s burial.
Olorunnisola, an OPIC staff and Ogunwolu Jamiu were also quizzed on the matter.
Adedeji was equally quizzed alongside the Surveyor-General and one Bashiru, who reportedly exposed another huge fraud to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The report stated that the sums of ₦630million and ₦300million were discovered in the accounts of two directors in the course of investigating the fraud perpetrated through sale of government lands and re allocation of lands already ratified, while another director was also found to have received N38 million in two equal installments of N19 million.
To perpetrate the fraud, the syndicate was said to have indirectly revoked many CofOs, re-allocated many landed property, and forged the Governor’s signature, just as majority of acquisition lands for government projects were found to have been seriously inflated.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi has vowed to get to the bottom of the matter, warning that anyone implicated would not be spared.
This is just as an anti-corruption agency is said to have been contacted and is expected to storm the land bureau next week over the fraud allegations.
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