EFCC Barricades Woman Inside Her House For 23 Days In Abuja… Judge Orders She Be Brought To Court

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to produce Abuja-based estate agent Rebecca Omokamo in court on Thursday for the continuation of her trial over alleged land fraud, forgery and money laundering.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order after Omokamo failed to appear for the resumed hearing of the criminal case.

Her counsel, Christopher Oshomeghie (SAN), told the court that his client had remained indoors for the past 23 days because armed EFCC operatives had allegedly laid siege to her Guzape residence, leaving her too afraid to step outside.

The senior advocate said her absence from court was a direct consequence of the agency’s actions.

However, counsel for the EFCC, Benedict Ubi, disagreed, arguing that the defendant had placed herself under “self-imposed house arrest” following the court’s interim forfeiture order over the disputed property.

He further alleged that Omokamo had frustrated efforts by EFCC officials to enforce the order and had repeatedly travelled outside the court’s jurisdiction in breach of the conditions of her administrative bail.

Responding, Oshomeghie maintained that armed EFCC operatives had continued to occupy the property for 23 days, adding that the prolonged siege had taken a toll on his client’s health.

The prosecutor, however, insisted that Omokamo had the keys to the apartment and had locked herself inside, stressing that EFCC operatives neither confined nor detained her.

After Oshomeghie confirmed that his client was in possession of the keys, Justice Abdulmalik directed the EFCC to produce Omokamo before the court on Thursday and keep her in its custody pending the continuation of the trial.

The other defendants are Homadil Realty Limited, Idakwogi Richard John and Rychado Homes Limited. Only John, the Chief Executive Officer of Rychado Homes Limited, was present in court.

Earlier, in a related civil suit filed by the EFCC, Justice Abdulmalik rebuked Oshomeghie after he sought clarification on the court’s earlier order directing parties to maintain the status quo.

The senior advocate had argued that despite the order, EFCC operatives had continued to occupy his client’s Guzape property, effectively preventing her from leaving the premises for almost a month.

Responding, the judge said, “When I make an order, I go to sleep,” adding that counsel should not “think for the court.”

The EFCC informed the court that it had filed an application for the final forfeiture of the disputed property, while another party had also applied to be joined in the suit.

Justice Abdulmalik held that the application for joinder would take precedence over the other pending applications and adjourned the civil matter until October 15 for hearing.

Omokamo was arraigned in June 2025 in two separate criminal cases marked FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025 and FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025 alongside her husband, Isaac Yusuf Ishaku, Homadil Realty Limited, Idakwogi Richard John and Rychado Homes Limited.

The EFCC alleged that between 2023 and 2024, the defendants fraudulently obtained more than N500 million from unsuspecting buyers by selling plots of land with forged documents, including fake powers of attorney, involving properties in Guzape and Katampe.

The commission also accused them of laundering the proceeds through company accounts.

Among the alleged victims is a 79-year-old widow, Colleen Yesufu. Another prosecution witness, Abu Gambo, had earlier testified that he lost N62 million after purchasing two plots in Katampe whose titles later disappeared from the records of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems.