The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Executive Director of Kwara State Harmony Holdings, Adebayo Sanni, over alleged fraudulent sale of some landed property belonging to Kwara State Government.
Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media and Publicity of the Commission, made this known in Ilorin on Monday.
He said that the executive director was also accused of allegedly converting some landed property belonging to the state for his personal use.
“The said property are located in Harmony Reserved area of Ilorin, the state capital and Galadima area of Abuja.
“Those who allegedly benefited from the controversial land include, a close friend of the Immediate past Governor, Retired Navy Commodore J.A Taiwo, a political leader in the state, Ishola Balogun-Fulani, among others.
“Other beneficiaries, who are still under the investigations of the EFCC are Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa, Alhaji Jimoh Oniwa, and Mrs Olapeju Fausat Ogunlade among others.
Uwujaren alleged that the executive director and the retired navy commodore, who were said to be classmates of former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed allegedly converted some property located at Ilorin and Abuja to their personal use.
“The commission discovered that, after taking over, the property were converted and allocated to highly placed individuals, selected businessmen and women including political associates that were close to the former government, without due process.
“The retired navy general was allocated three plots in Harmony Reserved Area, an estate in Ilorin and five plots of land in Galadima Area of Abuja, without paying a dime to the government.
“The Kwara executive director was alleged to have allocated five plots in Ilorin and Abuja to himself without following due process.
“The commission also discovered that some of the beneficiaries, who were interrogated by operatives of the commission, had started refunding their money, while others promised to pay before the end of the week.
“The operatives of the anti-graft body had gathered intelligence reports that some of the property belonging to the state government were diverted and shared by highly placed individuals between 2013 and 2019.
” This fraudulent act led to the arrest of the suspects.
“As at the time of this report, the state government official is still being interrogated by EFCC operatives,” Uwujaren said in the statement.
