Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a Lagos businessman, Alhaji Olakazeem Tijani, over an alleged land scam involving more than N67 million.
Tijani was picked recently snapped up in Igando by EFCC operatives after months of investigation triggered by a formal petition filed by a complainant, Oluseyi Adekoya, in July last year.
Investigators said the suspect had been under watch for several months after allegedly ignoring repeated invitations from the EFCC and other security agencies.
In the petition submitted at the EFCC’s Awolowo Road, Ikoyi office, Adekoya accused Tijani and his company, Latokatz Limited, of fraudulent misrepresentation, obtaining money under false pretence, criminal breach of trust, forgery and conversion of funds.
He claimed that between February 2023 and January last year, he paid over N67 million into Latokatz Limited’s Zenith Bank account for property purchases and construction projects.
According to him, N44 million was paid for an uncompleted building in Isheri-Idimu, two shop units at Olugbede Market in Egbeda, and an acre of land along the Atan–Badagry axis. Another N23 million was allegedly paid for construction work at a property in Isheri North GRA, OPIC, off the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The complainant said the deals were based on trust and documents presented as proof of ownership and authority to sell. But checks later allegedly showed that Tijani had no legal right to sell some of the properties — and that some did not even exist. He further alleged that several of the documents used for the transactions were forged or improperly obtained.
“I have all evidence of the transfers and payment instructions made into the company’s bank account,” Adekoya stated, insisting that repeated refund demands were ignored.
He also pointed to an undertaking allegedly signed by Tijani on April 13 last year at the palace of the Oba of Isheri-Olofin, where the dispute was first reported. Under the agreement, Tijani was said to have promised to refund N44 million on or before June 8, 2025 — a pledge the petitioner said was never fulfilled.
The petition urged the EFCC to prosecute the suspect and recover the funds, citing provisions of the Criminal Code covering false pretence, stealing, conversion, forgery and uttering of documents. Attached documents include bank records, receipts, deeds of assignment, allocation letters, surveys and correspondence.
EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest, saying Tijani remains in custody in Lagos pending further investigation.
But the suspect’s lawyer, Kolade Alo, described the matter as a misunderstanding between both parties and declined further comment.
