EFCC Drags Kano Man to Court Over ₦31m Land Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, has arraigned Abubakar Iliyasu Saminu before the Kano State High Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of ₦31.2 million in a land deal.

Saminu appeared before Justice Nasiru Saminu on a one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence. According to the EFCC, he took money from Muhuyi Adamu under the claim of selling him 91 plots of land at Panshekara NEPA in Kumbotso Local Government Area.

Adamu paid ₦31.25 million through a combination of cash and bank transfers to a Zenith Bank account. He later sold the plots to Nuruddeen Suleiman Ishaq. When Nuruddeen started work on the land, another person appeared with original documents showing Saminu was not the owner.

Investigations showed that Saminu used forged documents.

The charge reads: “That you Abubakar Iliyasu Saminu… with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of ₦31,250,000 from Muhuyi Adamu… under the false pretense that you are the owner of 91 plots of land at Panshekara NEPA…”

The EFCC said the act violates Section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and is punishable under Section 1(3).

Saminu pleaded not guilty. Prosecution counsel, Douglas I. Gift, asked for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded. Defence counsel, Nasir Abdulrahaman, applied for bail, which was granted.

Justice Nasiru Saminu granted bail in the sum of ₦25 million with two sureties. One must own property in Kano metropolis and submit the Certificate of Occupancy, along with a written undertaking to forfeit the property if the defendant fails to appear in court.

The case was adjourned to June 25, 2025, for trial.

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