Firm Petitions AGF over Alleged N280m Sale of FG’s Property

Wale Igbintade

A construction company in the real estate industry, Periwinkle Residence Limited, has filed a petition against a firm, Randolph Centuria Limited, Kabiru Abdullahi Ahmed, a law firm, Gani Faniyi & Company and NETTOP Global Investment  Limited over alleged N280 million fraud, being payment for sale of Federal Government property at No. 5 Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The company in a petition written through the law firm, Philip-Idiok and Associates , complained that it paid the money under false impression that the Government of Nigeria wanted to dispose the property at No. 5 Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The Petitioner stated that the alleged activities were carried out by these purported agents without any authorisation or any instrument of appointment from the federal government.

The petition read: “Our Client retained the services of Mr. Gani Faniyi, of GANI Faniyi & Company as its external solicitor for the purpose of providing legal advice and legal representation for its business. Hence, the relationship between our Client and Gani Faniyi & Company is that of a client and attorney.

“Sometime in May, 2021 Mr. Gani Faniyi  and NETTOP Global Investment Limited falsely sent an offer to our client in the name of Randolph Centuria Limited for whom Hon. Kabiru Abdullahi is a director and claimed the company is an appointed agent of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the purpose of disposal of Federal Government asset.

“The said company further represented to our Client that they are in partnership with Nurudeen & Co.Nig Limited, the duly appointed agent of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Further to the above stated fact together with the correspondence between our Client and Randolph Centuria Limited, a formal offer letter was sent to our Client wherein Mr. Gani Faniyi and NETTOP Global Investment Limited had assured our Client on the delivery of title document within a period of ninety (90) days upon the payment of the purchase price for the property situate at No. 5 Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

“In the light of the above, our client paid the sum of N280 million into two account details provided by Mr. Gani Faniyi Esq and NETTOP Global Investment Limited in the following manner: (a) The sum of N80 million in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria vied Treasury Saving Account (TSA) account number 0020054161191(FGN Asset Recovery Account) and; (b) the sum of N200 million in favour of NETTOP Global Investment Limited through its account number 0019315345 domiciled with Stanbic IBTC.

The said property situates at No. 5 Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos is legally owned by another person and was never available for sale.

“After further investigation, it was our Client’s findings that the purported agents were never appointed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and in fact they had no authority to act or sell and receive money over any landed property on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Our Client have decided to draw your attention to the fraudulent activities being carried out by these purported agents without any authorization or any instrument of appointment. It must interest you to know that, a petition has been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the recovery of the said sum. However, all effort to recover the above sum has made minimal progress.

“Honourable Attorney-General Sir, this instant matter is without doubt a clear case of economic crime against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and advanced fee fraud by individuals parading to act under the mandate and instrument of your good office.

“We kindly urge you to use your good office towards ensuring that immediate step is being taken against the perpetrators of this act and also to correct the illegality and criminal activities visited on our client”.