EFCC Seals Office of First Group Company That Sold Dubai Properties to Army Chief Buratai

EFCC Seals Office of First Group Company That Sold Dubai Properties to Army Chief Buratai

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday sealed the offices of The First Group company, a real estate firm that facilitated chief of army staff, Gen Tukur Buratai’s purchase of properties in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Premium Times reports that the office located on the seventh-floor of the Bank of Industry building in the Central Business District, Abuja was sealed as part of investigations into an alleged fraud.

An EFCC source hinted that the agency had received complaints that the company was engaged in a real estate scam and had duped innocent Nigerians to the tune of $200 billion.

Last May, operatives of the anti-graft agency raided the firm’s office as part of investigations into the alleged property fraud. Several implicating documents were discovered, including a list of high profile patrons, which was said to have been retrieved at the time.

Investigations into the scam, operatives said, revealed that the company, originally known as TFG Real Estate Limited, operates in Nigeria in the guise of being The First Group company, a Dubai-based real estate firm, which is not registered in Nigeria.

The company allegedly lured innocent Nigerians interested in owning properties in Dubai, into parting with their hard-earned money.

“They are mandated to make the payments in instalments; however, the payment is deliberately structured in such a way that the debt is difficult to offset, and as soon as one defaults, the money will be “seized” by the company,” a source said.