Police Accused of Obstructing EFCC Court Order Against IGP Egbetokun’s Female Friend Amid Land-Grabbing Scandal

The police in Abuja are facing accusations of obstructing the enforcement of a court order involving Bilikisu Ishaqu Aliyu, an alleged close associate of Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun. Aliyu, also known as Rebecca Omokamo Godwin Isaac, has been implicated in a land-grabbing scandal.

Court documents accuse Aliyu of illegally seizing a valuable piece of land from the Yesufu family in Guzape, Abuja. Despite a court directive for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reclaim the land and return it to its rightful owners, police have reportedly intervened on Aliyu’s behalf.

The Yesufu family, including Alhaja Colleen Yesufu, alleges that Aliyu has been emboldened by her connections to Egbetokun, who was appointed police chief by President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

The family’s ordeal began on August 18, 2023, with a suspicious phone call about the supposed sale of their property. They discovered that unauthorized individuals had invaded their land, commenced construction, and listed it for sale, using forged documents uploaded to the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).

Investigations revealed that the syndicate behind the scam had fraudulently altered property records at AGIS and secured a building plan approval without the family’s consent. The family uncovered that Aliyu was involved in similar fraudulent activities across four other properties in Guzape, exploiting elderly landowners.

Despite never selling or developing their land, the Yesufu family reported the fraud to AGIS and the Development Control Department. They suspect internal collusion within these agencies facilitated the scheme, as Aliyu continued construction even after the fraudulent approval was purportedly revoked.

A January 2024 report by the FCTA General Counsel’s Office recommended demolishing the illegal structure. A subsequent meeting involving the Development Control Department, Lands Administration, and the Yesufus’ lawyers confirmed the fraudulent activities. Aliyu and her company, Homadil Realty, failed to attend.

Further investigation showed that the original allocation of the disputed land, Plot 4022, had not been revoked, and any new power of attorney favoring Aliyu was fraudulent. The FCTA recommended sealing the property and identifying complicit staff within AGIS.

Despite the FCTA’s directive, the police released the trespassers shortly after their arrest on November 17, 2023, allegedly on Egbetokun’s orders. The Yesufu family’s legal representatives, Falana & Falana Chambers, filed multiple petitions against Aliyu and her firm, but the police did not act, prompting them to involve the EFCC.

The EFCC’s investigation exposed the land-grabbing scheme, but Aliyu refused to cooperate. The EFCC sealed the property in April 2024, yet Aliyu filed a lawsuit to prevent her questioning by the agency. The court mandated her cooperation, but she remained in hiding.

Amid the ongoing defiance, the police allegedly removed EFCC markings and continued developing the disputed land. Aliyu reportedly used police intelligence to intimidate the Yesufu family.

The Yesufus condemned the misuse of police resources for harassment and intimidation, asserting their compliance with the law. Requests for comments from Egbetokun and Aliyu went unanswered.