Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN, a prominent legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, has sounded the alarm on rampant judicial fraud in land grabbing cases, detailing his successful defense of a UK-based Nigerian widow against a notorious syndicate in Lagos. In a public statement, Ubani revealed how fraudsters exploit procedural loopholes to dispossess rightful property owners, calling for urgent reforms to safeguard Nigeria’s justice system.
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Six years ago, Ubani’s client, a UK-based widow who passed away in 2024, was targeted by a syndicate posing as a land-owning family in Lagos. The group aimed to seize her three plots behind the former Tasty Fried Chicken building on Opebi Road, Ikeja. Assuming the owner was deceased, the fraudsters, aided by a lawyer known for unethical practices, secured a fraudulent writ of possession from a Magistrate Court at Ikeja Local Airport through misrepresentation. They used a colluding member as a nominal defendant who did not contest the suit, enabling swift possession and advertising the plots for millions of naira.
Alerted by tenants, Ubani uncovered the scheme, secured the client’s Certificate of Occupancy, and filed motions to join the case and set aside the judgment. The defendants’ defense—a purported 1920s judgment claiming ownership from Ikeja to Agege—lacked credible evidence, such as a survey plan. The presiding Magistrate, described as “sharp, fearless, and principled,” nullified the fraudulent judgment. Anticipating an appeal, Ubani strategically recovered possession by 8:00 a.m. on the ruling day, preempting the defendants’ 9:00 a.m. appeal and stay motion.
The syndicate escalated with a baseless trespass petition to the Lagos State Police Command and later the Assistant Inspector General of Police at Zone 2, Onikan. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, commended for integrity, dismissed the claims after reviewing title documents and warned the fraudsters against further misuse of forged documents.
Ubani is handling a similar case at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, involving a Jos-based client whose land, held since before the Nigerian Civil War, was targeted through a sham suit with a family member as a nominal defendant. The Lagos State Government had returned the land post-war after temporary acquisition, yet fraudsters claimed adverse possession. Ubani remains optimistic about securing justice in this ongoing matter.
He highlighted a common tactic: fraudsters use substituted service, pasting notices at odd hours, photographing them, and removing them to fake compliance. Such practices, Ubani warned, undermine judicial integrity and may explain cases like the reported dispossession of Mr. Pete Obi’s brother, despite his valid Certificate of Occupancy.
Ubani urged amendments to procedural rules to curb judicial fraud in land litigation. He recommended mandatory locus in quo inspections by courts when defendants are unknown or substituted service is claimed, aiming to deter fraudulent practices and restore public trust. “The Nigerian legal system, though imperfect, is a formidable instrument for protecting property rights when wielded with integrity,” he stated, emphasizing the need for vigilant judicial officers and diligent lawyers.
The issue resonates with other legal battles exposing institutional overreach, such as Barrister Victor Okonkwo’s suit against the NBA’s zoning policies and Amb. Hameed Jimoh’s challenge to its practicing fee collection. Ubani’s cases underscore systemic vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s legal framework, where loopholes enable fraudsters to exploit courts, often with complicit legal practitioners.
As Ubani continues to advocate for his clients, his cautionary tale serves as a rallying cry for legal practitioners and courts to uphold integrity and combat the growing menace of land grabbing through judicial fraud.
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