Court Sentences Man to Two Years for Land Racketeering in Maiduguri

Justice Muhammad Maina of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri handed down a two-year prison sentence on Friday, November 14, 2025, to Bukar Umar Alhaji for land racketeering and criminal misappropriation of funds totaling N2.1 million.

Alhaji, who was first charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Maiduguri Zonal Directorate on November 27, 2024, faced a two-count charge. The accused was found guilty of obtaining money by false pretence and misappropriating funds under the guise of selling two plots of land located in Mafa Local Government Area, Borno State. The premises, however, did not belong to him.

According to the prosecution, led by counsel Faruku Muhammad, Alhaji fraudulently converted the sum of N2,100,000 from the complainant, Ibrahim Ismai’l. The EFCC established its case through six witnesses and four exhibits presented in court, confirming the fraudulent transaction.

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Justice Maina ruled that Alhaji’s conduct contravened Sections 308 and 309 of the Borno State Penal Code Law Cap 102 (1994), imposing a two-year jail term for criminal misappropriation. The sentence allows for an alternative payment of a fine of N200,000. Additionally, the court mandated the defendant to refund the outstanding balance of N750,000 to the victim.

The judgment culminates Alhaji’s legal ordeal which began when he unlawfully sold land that did not belong to him, breaching the trust of the buyer and the law. His refusal to reimburse the victim led to prosecution and subsequent conviction, a stern message against land fraud in the region.