The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a real estate developer, Mrs Godwin-Isaac Rebecca Omokamo, also known as Bilkisu Ishaku Aliyu, for her alleged involvement in a N500 million land fraud and money laundering scheme in Abuja.
Mrs Omokamo was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, on two separate charges alongside her husband, Isaac Yusuf Ishaku; their company, Homadil Realty Limited; Idakwogi Richard John; and Rychardo Homes Ltd.
The first charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025, contained five counts, while the second, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025, had 17 counts.
The EFCC alleged that between 2023 and 2024, the defendants collected over N500 million from multiple victims and laundered the funds through various company accounts. The agency claimed the defendants used forged documents, including a fake power of attorney, to falsely claim ownership of Plot 4022, Guzape District, Abuja, belonging to Mrs Colleen Mero Yesufu.
The EFCC further alleged that Mrs Omokamo used these forged documents to secure a building permit from the FCT Department of Development Control and sold the land to a buyer for N70 million. Additionally, the defendants were accused of fraudulently misrepresenting ownership and title over Plots 1861, 1862, and 1863, Cadastral Zone B07, Katampe District, Abuja, inducing several unsuspecting individuals to pay for these properties under false pretences.
Specific counts included obtaining N62 million from Abu Abubakar Gombo in August 2023 and N75 million from Usman Abba Jalo in January 2024 by falsely representing ownership of the Katampe plots. The EFCC stated that these actions violated Section 8(a) and were punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 15(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following bail applications by defence lawyers, Mr Christopher Oshomegie, SAN, and Mr Moses Ebute, SAN, Justice Abdulmalik granted bail to each defendant at N10 million with two sureties of the same amount. The sureties must be civil servants of at least Grade Level 16, provide evidence of their salaries for the past three months, own landed property worth the bail sum, and depose an affidavit of means. The court also ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports and barred them from travelling outside Nigeria without permission.
Pending perfection of their bail conditions, the defendants were remanded in prison custody. The cases were adjourned to July 21 and 22 for trial. EFCC counsel, Mr Samuel Chime, informed the court that 13 witnesses are lined up to testify.
THE SUN
