Date: 2019-08-26

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Executive Director of Kwara state Harmony Holdings, Adebayo Sanni for alleged fraudulent sale of some landed properties belonging to the Kwara state government.

Sanni was also accused of converting some landed property belonging to the state for his personal use.

The said properties are located in Harmony Reserved Area of Ilorin, the state capital and Galadima area of Abuja.

Ilorin zonal office of the EFCC effected the arrest of the executive director.

Others involved in the controversial land purchase include, a close friend of the immediate past Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Commodore J.A Taiwo (rtd) and former People’s Democratic Party chairman in the state, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani.

Other beneficiaries who are still under the investigations of the EFCC are Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa, Alhaji Jimoh Oniwa, Mrs Olapeju Fausat Ogunlade.

It was alleged that Mr. Sanni and the retired naval officer who were said to be classmates of Alhaji Ahmed converted some of the state government property located in Ilorin and Abuja to their personal use.

It was gathered that the retired military chief was allocated three plots in Harmony Reserved Area Estates in Ilorin and five plots in Galadima area of Abuja without paying a dime to the government.

The state executive director was said to have allocated five plots of land in Ilorin and Abuja to himself without following due process.

It was also gathered that the commission discovered that properties belonging to the state were converted and allocated to highly placed individuals, selected businessmen and women and political associates who closed to the then government without following the due process.

It was also gathered that some of the beneficiaries who were grilled for several hours by the operatives of the commission had started paying their monies while others promised to pay before the end of this Week.

The operatives of the anti graft body had gathered intelligence reports that some of the properties (both movable and immovable) belonging to the state government were diverted and shared by highly placed individuals between 2013 and now which led to the arrest of the suspects.