Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has refuted claims that he allocated 501 hectares of land in Abuja to a Ghanaian businessman, Sam Jonah, for the development of River Park Estate.
Obasanjo’s denial was contained in a letter dated July 10, 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police in response to an earlier inquiry dated July 4, 2025.
Sam Jonah, a Knight of the British Empire and founder of Jonah Capital, had alleged in a petition to the police that the ex-president granted him ownership of the vast land where the sprawling River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, now stands.
But Obasanjo dismissed the claim as “absolutely untrue, fictitious, misleading, and libellous,” adding that he neither invited Jonah nor allocated any plot of land to him or his companies.
His response aligned with a prior letter dated July 1, 2025, where he similarly disclaimed any connection with land allocations involving Jonah or River Park Estate.
The dispute, which has now snowballed into criminal litigation, followed a police investigation into alleged document forgeries involving Jonah and several others, including two Ghanaians — Kojo Ansah and Victor Quainoo — and an Abuja-based lawyer, Abu Arome.
The suspects are scheduled for arraignment before Justice Modupe-Osho Adebiyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, and fraudulent takeover of corporate assets.
The police alleged that the defendants forged company documents at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), illegally increased share capital, and falsely allocated 99 million shares to themselves in a bid to hijack control of River Park Estate and its affiliated firms — Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd and JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd.
They are also accused of falsely claiming Nigerian citizenship and fabricating signatures to push their ownership claims.
The 126-count charge marked CR/402/2025 was filed by the Force Headquarters Legal Department and signed by prosecuting counsel Isa Garba.
The police noted that amid the ongoing investigation, Arome allegedly misled the public by announcing a fresh police probe, despite the case already being concluded with a forensic report dated November 29, 2024, and a final report dated June 27, 2025.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that attached to the case file are the investigation reports, defendants’ statements, and a controversial letter purportedly relinquishing 8 million shares and signed by one John Townley Johnson — another point of contention the prosecution aims to challenge in court.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
