Lawyers pledge legal aid to Abuja land fraud victims, call for petitions

ABUJA — The Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture (INAHURAT) has called on victims of land fraud in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to come forward, pledging support in their pursuit of justice.

The body, which made the call on Wednesday, said it was already seeking redress for an 80-year-old woman, Mrs. Colleen Mero Yesufu, whose property was allegedly taken by a land grabber.

While commending the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyode, for their interventions in the case, the rights body, through its leader, Dr. Maxwell Opara, expressed concern over the role of some legal practitioners and security personnel who, it said, colluded with perpetrators of land fraud.

“The syndicate’s explicit strategy is to frustrate criminal investigations, force victims into protracted civil litigation, and deploy unethical legal practitioners to delay court proceedings, hoping that victims will wear out.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. Together, we will bring every co-conspirator and enabler of these criminals to full legal accountability.

“INAHURAT commends the dedicated law enforcement officers within the EFCC and the Nigeria Police Force who have stood firm against systemic corruption, while condemning corrupt elements within security agencies who actively cover up investigations, intimidate whistleblowers, and victimize upright officers.

“Fresh petitions detailing these specific cover-up acts are being dispatched to the Inspector-General of Police and the EFCC Chairman,” it stated.

The body also urged victims of land grabbing, corporate identity theft, or title manipulation in Abuja, whose complaints were suppressed, ignored, or frustrated by corrupt security operatives, to approach it with their cases.

Meanwhile, it demanded that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) strictly enforce the Immigration Act 2015 by initiating criminal prosecution against an alleged Abuja land grabber, currently on trial, who, it said, made false declarations and obtained duplicate travel documents under false pretenses.

“We further call on the EFCC to immediately seize this fraudulently procured second passport and present it before the trial court.

“Unless the NIS takes decisive prosecutorial action, it sends a dangerous signal that any criminal suspect on trial whose passport is seized by the courts or the EFCC can simply walk into an NIS office or go to the online portal, declare their passport ‘lost,’ and secure a new document to evade justice.

“We demand full administrative accountability and prosecution,” the rights body added.