Land fraud: Enugu Assembly uncovers land scam, orders suspension of  salaries 

By, Venica Uchechukwu, Enugu 

The Enugu State House of Assembly has blown the lid off a decade-long land fraud scheme, as its Special Committee on Land Conflicts moves against officials accused of swindling hundreds of college staff and residents.

Chaired by Anthony Okechukwu Mba, member representing Nkanu East, the committee condemned what it called “rampant land grabbing, racketeering, and fraudulent sales” after receiving petitions from staff of the Enugu State College of Education and members of the public. 

The petitions named the late Mrs. Ugoma Adaeze Ndibisi and Kate Okolo — former President and Secretary of the Women in College of Education Organization (WICE) — as masterminds of questionable land deals.

According to victims, the WICE leadership introduced “WICE Land” between 2009 and 2011 and urged staff to market plots to colleagues, friends, and family, promising token commissions per sale. Many bought in, armed with receipts and payment evidence. 

But after Mrs. Ndibisi’s death, Okolo allegedly renamed the land from _Ukano_ to _Ukano Bold_, increased prices, reduced plot sizes, and began denying original buyers access — insisting they never paid.

The scandal came to a head at a one-day public hearing on the floor of the House, where victims recounted 13 years of frustration. They told lawmakers they are yet to be allotted plots despite full payment, prompting their petitions for justice. 

Past and present leaders of the College of Education attended the session but said the institution had not received any formal complaint on the matter until now.

Hon. Mba assured victims that the committee’s probe will continue until the dispute is resolved.

 He noted that Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mba’s administration has rolled out measures to stop illegal and multiple payments in land transactions across Enugu State, with a pledge to bring perpetrators to book.

In its first major resolution, the committee directed the Provost of the institution to suspend Kate Okolo’s salary until further notice. The panel said the action was necessary to show the Assembly’s resolve to sanitize land administration and restore public confidence.

Lawmakers maintained that the investigation is ongoing and warned that the era of unchecked land racketeering in Enugu is over.