Police Drag Three to Court Over Alleged N190m Property Fraud Case

(Nigeria Police. Photo by Premuim Times)

The Nigeria Police Force has arraigned three suspects over an alleged N190 million property scam in which a businessman, Idris Ahmed Tijjani, was said to have been defrauded.

The suspects, Tolulope Aiyetan, Umma Ibrahim, and Abdulbaki Abdulbaki, all pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge brought against them by the police.

The court granted them bail in the sum of N10 million each.

In the suit with charge number CR/168/2026, dated April 40, 2026, and filed by Adama Musa, a Chief Superintendent of Police of the Legal and Prosecution Section of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, the prosecution alleged that the suspects conspired to collect the money from the businessman under false pretence, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.

During the trial, the complainant, Idris Ahmed Tijjani, is expected to give evidence of how the defendants conspired and defrauded him under the guise of selling a genuine property to him, and subsequently refused to refund his money. Beyond Tijjani, three other witnesses have been listed to testify in the matter.

Ten exhibits were compiled by the police to be presented as evidence during trial.

The exhibits include statements from the defendants and witnesses, statement compliance forms, a memorandum of deposit, a CAC form for Xenius Global Nig. Ltd, a letter from Jaiz Bank addressed to Idris Ahmed Tijjani dated June 24, 2024, and a letter of demand notice dated January 5, 2024.

Additional exhibits include a letter from Jaiz Bank to Avert Chambers dated January 11, 2024, a Deed of Assignment between Tolulope Aiyetan Oluwatosin and Idris Ahmed Tijjani, a letter from Avert Chambers to the Consumer Protection Department dated February 13, 2024, a letter from Jaiz Bank addressed to Xenius Global Nig. Ltd dated January 25, 2024, and evidence of payment of N150 million by the complainant.

The first count of the charge alleged that the three defendants, along with Jaiz Bank PLC and Xenius Global Nigeria Ltd, on or about December 2023 in the FCT, Abuja, conspired to commit an offence of obtaining property by false pretence, an act punishable under Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.