EFCC, ICPC to probe Abuja land scam

MAY 16, 2012 BY FIDELIS SORIWEI, ABUJA 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission say they will probe the Abuja land scam.

In separate statements on Tuesday, the  Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, and his ICPC counterpart, Mr. Ekpo Nta, said the probe had become necessary following the dubious sale of land in the Federal Capital Territory.

Lamorde said the fraud in land acquisition in Abuja was such that people laying claim to a parcel of land would produce two original Certificates of Occupancy for the same land.

A statement by the EFCC’s acting Head of Media and Public Relations, Mr. Wilson Uwujanren, quoted Lamorde as saying this while speaking at the public presentation of a report entitled ‘Systems Study on the Federal Capital Territory Land Administration and Documentary on Grassroots Involvement with Budget Process’ in Abuja.

The report was sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme.

Lamorde, who commended the UNDP report, said it should be applied not only in the FCTA but also in other cities.

He said, “If there are areas that have become interesting to visit and where fraud is being perpetuated, it is land administration in the FCT.

“It is in the FCT that people brandish supposed originals of the Certificate of Occupancy of plots of land and other people still come and contest it with the original certificate.”

Nta, who said the focus on the land administration in the FCT was inevitable, was happy that the FCTA  was keen on running a clean system of land administration.

He said, “Land plays a very critical role in our private lives and national development.  High propensity for corrupt practices in land administration if left unchecked can lead to frustrations, demolitions, civil strife and deaths.

“The choice of land administration in the FCT as an area of interest was unavoidable.  We are delighted that the study was embraced by all levels at the FCTA because they are interested in running corrupt- free land administration system so that they can work in peace and safety.”

SOURCE; The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 16 May 2012.