6 FCTA staff may be suspended over illegal land deals

FCTA recently queried the staff, asking them to respond to allegations levelled against them concerning land sales and mismanagement of proceeds from those sales.The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the FCDA Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Mr Peter Udemba said management has asked the immediate past officials of the society to explain how hundreds of millions of […]

FCTA recently queried the staff, asking them to respond to allegations levelled against them concerning land sales and mismanagement of proceeds from those sales.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the FCDA Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Mr Peter Udemba said management has asked the immediate past officials of the society to explain how hundreds of millions of naira raised through land sales in the name of the cooperative society were not remitted into the society’s account.
He gave the names of the former society officials as: Ambrose Samchi (president), Moses Akaaza (vice president), Johnson Ede (secretary), Sani Maitala (PRO), Mrs Victoria Barde (treasurer) and Raphael Izougu (financial secretary).
According to Udemba, when the current management of the society took over, it was inundated with complaints from the general public about untidy ways concerning land they paid for under the society.
He said looking through the records, it was gathered that the past government did land deals in the society’s name but did not give proper account to the society.
He mentioned an instance where land was bought for about N40 million whereas, it was recorded that the society paid over N70 million for the land.
Both FCT anti corruption committee and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are investing the past officials.
It was gathered that some of them have already made refunds to the society.
A source in FCTA said if the explanations given by the staff are not satisfactory, they will be suspended or sacked.
The former president, Samchi is already arraigned in court. Samchi is accused of criminal breach of trust, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
The matter was to be heard in the Upper Area Court, Karu last Thursday but due to change of judge, the matter was adjourned till March 28.   
Only last October, six administrative staff of the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) and Department of Land Administration were suspended over land fraud.