Land fraud: Widow drags village head, two others to court in Kaduna

There was drama at a Kaduna Shari’a Court on Monday April 28, 2025, as a widow, Wunmi Ishola, dragged a village head, Mai Unguwa Lawal, and two others over alleged land fraud.

According News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ishola also sued a land agent popularly called “Oga Yellow” and Alhaji Surajo Haruna, who allegedly posed as the landowner.

Narrating her ordeal before the court, Ishola said she sought to buy a property for her children.

According to her, the agent introduced her to the village head, who showed her a plot of land.

The widow said the village head claimed the land belonged to Surajo Haruna, who later agreed to sell it.

“I paid N4 million into Haruna’s account on April 14 and received land documents,” Ishola told the court.

However, she said the documents turned out to be fake when she attempted to develop the property.

She said Alhaji Bala, the true owner, confronted her when she started construction on the disputed land.

Distressed by the development, Ishola approached the court, seeking a refund of all money paid to the defendants.

She said although the village head refunded N500,000, the bulk of her money remains unreturned.

The widow further revealed she paid N150,000 to the agent and N150,000 to a lawyer for paperwork.

On their part, the first and second defendants admitted transacting the deal but claimed ignorance of the fraud.

Haruna, the alleged landowner, was absent in court and could not defend himself against the allegations.

The village head told the court he had made efforts to locate Haruna without success.

Presiding Judge, Malam Muhammad Kabir, ordered the immediate restriction of Haruna’s bank account.

He further directed that the bank should refund the N4 million to the complainant if funds were available.

The judge granted the two defendants bail on the condition that the village head must produce a surety.

The court session, held at Mando, attracted community members who expressed anger over rising land fraud cases.

Speaking after the hearing, some residents called for stronger verification processes in property transactions.

Many condemned traditional leaders who get involved in land deals without verifying ownership claims.

Judge Kabir adjourned the case to allow further investigation and efforts to bring Haruna before the court.

He warned all parties against tampering with evidence or interfering with the ongoing investigation.

Cases of land fraud have risen sharply in Kaduna suburbs, prompting calls for urgent government intervention.

Legal experts also urged citizens to conduct proper searches at land registries before buying any property.

Meanwhile, Ishola maintained she would pursue the case to ensure justice for herself and her children.

She vowed to recover every kobo spent on the fraudulent land transaction.

The case continues at the next sitting, with the court promising a fair and speedy trial.

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