The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has sentenced a staff member of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Kingsley Eselebor, to 25 years in prison for obtaining money under false pretences and using forged documents to defraud a land buyer.
Justice A. O. Musa delivered the judgement on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after finding Eselebor guilty on all five counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment each on counts one, two and three, and two years each on counts four and five. All the sentences are to run concurrently, without an option of a fine.
The prosecution established that Eselebor, who worked in the FCDA’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, defrauded Moses Osinachi of money paid for two plots of land at Kubwa District Central Annex, Abuja.
The plots, identified as Plots 383 and 424, were presented to Osinachi as genuine properties available for sale, despite Eselebor allegedly having no valid title to transfer them.
The case was initially filed in March 2021 with three counts of obtaining money under false pretences. The charges were later amended to five, with counts one to three relating to obtaining money under false pretences and counts four and five concerning the use of forged documents as genuine.
According to evidence presented before the court, Osinachi and Eselebor were neighbours and worshipped at the same church.
Their relationship, coupled with Eselebor’s position as an FCDA employee, reportedly strengthened Osinachi’s confidence in the transaction.
The court heard that Eselebor used two conveyance documents bearing the names Yusuf Lawan and Adegoke Asiwaju to convince Osinachi that the plots were genuine.
When Osinachi sought further confirmation of the documents’ authenticity, Eselebor allegedly assured him that they were genuine, relying on his position within the FCDA.
Based on the assurances, Osinachi transferred money from his company’s account, Moscow International Services Limited, to Eselebor for the purchase of the two plots.
The transaction subsequently ran into difficulty when Osinachi attempted to take possession of the properties and discovered that Eselebor had no valid title to transfer to him.
When confronted, Eselebor reportedly admitted that he knew the properties had rival claimants and promised to provide alternative plots.
However, the promise was not fulfilled.
Osinachi later demanded a refund, but the dispute remained unresolved as Eselebor’s explanations reportedly continued to change.
Dissatisfied with the development, Osinachi petitioned the EFCC, which investigated the allegations before arraigning Eselebor.
EFCC Says Conviction Will Deter Land Fraud
Reacting to the judgment, Joshua Saidi, the EFCC’s Director of Criminal Litigation and counsel for the prosecution, described the conviction as a deterrent to individuals involved in land racketeering and the use of forged documents to defraud unsuspecting property buyers.
Saidi expressed concern that Eselebor’s position as an FCDA employee had allegedly been used to inspire confidence in the transaction.
“This judgment has served as a deterrent to all these land racketeering, you know, these fraudsters, parading fake documents, defrauding unsuspecting victims. You understand? In this case, the defendant is a staff of FCDA. He paraded fake documents. And the court was also not happy with that attitude. Where is the trust? Yes, where is the trust? That means you are not safe, I’m not safe,” Saidi said.
The conviction underscores the risks posed by fraudulent land transactions in Abuja, where prospective buyers may rely on documents and assurances from individuals claiming to have official connections to land administration authorities.
