Explosive allegations of widespread fraud and systematic theft of public funds have erupted surrounding the compensation process for land acquired for the proposed Abia State International Airport in Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North.

Solicitors representing affected landowners have lodged damning petitions with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Department of State Services (DSS), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing officials within the Ministry of Lands and Housing of orchestrating a brazen scheme to pilfer millions of Naira.

The claims, detailed in letters seen by this publication, paint a picture of deliberate manipulation, fictitious beneficiaries, and the outright exclusion of legitimate landowners.

Barrister Chidi Odo Esq., representing the affected communities, alleges a “premeditated and coordinated scheme” involving the falsification of records, criminal conspiracy, and the creation of entirely fabricated identities to siphon off compensation money.

“Our clients have been systematically defrauded,” stated Odo in the petition to the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS. “Government records may claim landowners have been duly compensated, but this is a blatant falsehood.

"We have evidence of numerous individuals appearing on the compensation list who simply do not exist, receiving payments into fraudulent bank accounts. Meanwhile, genuine landowners have been either excluded entirely or shamefully shortchanged.”

The allegations centre around three key areas: the inclusion of “ghost” beneficiaries with fabricated details, payments made to individuals with no legitimate claim to land within the airport’s acquisition corridor – achieved through alleged boundary manipulation and false certification – and the deliberate under-declaration of compensation owed to rightful owners.

The scale of the alleged fraud is significant. Millions of Naira, earmarked to fairly compensate those displaced by the airport project, are believed to have been diverted for personal enrichment.

The petitions demand a full forensic audit of compensation registers, a thorough verification against official land records, and the tracing of funds to identify the perpetrators.

“This isn’t simply an administrative error; this is criminal behaviour,” a source close to the investigation told this publication, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“We’re talking about a calculated effort to line the pockets of corrupt officials at the expense of ordinary citizens.”

The Abia State Government has yet to issue a formal response to the allegations. However, the gravity of the claims, coupled with the formal petitions to both law enforcement and legislative bodies, is likely to trigger a full-scale investigation.

The affected landowners, left with nothing but outrage and a determination to see justice served, are demanding accountability and the recovery of their stolen compensation.

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