An Abuja High Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the Director of Investigation and Prosecution at the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Joseph Eriki, along with 10 others, over alleged forgery and fraud.
Justice Suleiman Belgore issued the order on Tuesday after the defendants failed to appear in court for their arraignment, despite several notifications.
The prosecution led by David Kaswe informed the court that multiple efforts to reach the accused—through their lawyers and sureties—were unsuccessful.
Citing Section 124 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Kaswe urged the court to issue the warrant as a final measure to compel their attendance.
Justice Belgore noted that the defendants had been previously granted police bail during investigation and ordered their appearance for arraignment on a six-count charge filed on February 31.
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The charges include criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, forgery, presenting a forged document as genuine, and using criminal force to obstruct a public officer from performing official duties.
Alongside Eriki, those named in the case are Boniface Agwu, Ikechukwu Kanu, Isaac Omoluwa, Nwaimoneye Onyisi, Sarajo Aliyu, Ogbole Michael, and five companies: Donatec Electrical Company Ltd, Super Structure Ltd, Weather Field Engineering, Marine Service Ltd, and Asher Information Services Ltd.
They are accused of unlawfully entering plots 461–470 and 486–496, which belong to Etha Ventures, and erecting illegal structures in an attempt to fraudulently seize the land.
Prosecutors said they also obtained a fraudulent consent judgment in a previous suit to claim ownership of the disputed land.
The case has been adjourned till June 4 for arraignment.
