A Nigerian-born American, Mr. Joseph Ogwuche, has accused a real estate businessman and president, Creative Industry Group (CIG), Felix Duke Osagie popularly known as Felix Duke of defrauding him of N23 million.

In a petition to the Police at the State CID in Panti, Ogwuche alleged that Duke made claims regarding the Creative Industry Power Estate, which moved him to part with his hard-earned money in the name of buying land from him.

According to the petition, Duke had said that the land overlooked the Atlantic seaside in Ibeju-Lekki, precisely at Ise-Akodo; covered by a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O); configured into a layout of plots measuring 60 by 120 square meters per plot; and that a plot sold for N3.7million. Ogwuche said he subscribed for 10 plots of the alleged land at the price of N37 million.

“By March 2022 he had made part payment in the sum of N22million. He, however, paused further payment to Duke after his discreet inquiry from the Baale of Ise community in Ibeju-Lekki revealed that Duke was entirely unknown to them and that no such ‘Creative Industry Group Estate’ exists in their ancestral land.

“Following this revelation, Ogwuche, based in Houston, Texas, notified Duke of his plan to visit Nigeria, requesting Duke to take him to inspect the land upon his arrival.

“He arrived in the country sometime in June 2022 and called Duke for a meeting so he could take him to the land for sighting. Curiously, not only did Duke decline the meeting, but he also flatly refused to meet with him all through the period of one month in which he stayed in Nigeria.

“Duke rather conveniently gave the excuse of his sister’s demise as the reason he won’t be able to meet with the petitioner,” his lawyers alleged. The petitioner further claimed that Duke started taking him from one site to another claiming he owned the land in the various places he showed him.

However, each time his claim to owning such land proved to be problematic to sustain, “he will quickly take us to another site, the last of which was a certain 19 plots located at Idiagbon Village in Sangotedo, Ajah from which he said he will sell two plots to me for N30million (N15million per plot) since, according to him, land is more expensive in Sangotedo than in Ibeju-Lekki.”

Ogwuche claimed he had previously paid Duke the sum of N22million, and was asked to pay the said balance of N7million to make up N30million, being the price of the two plots of land at Sangotedo.

This, according to Duke, will enable him to get liquid enough to approach Alausa for the registration and confirmation of his title to the Sangotedo land.
Ogwuche said in January 2023, he advanced Duke the sum of N1million to enable him to register and prove his title documents in respect of the 19 plots at Sangotedo.

Ogwuche said he insisted that the parties must enter a formal contract containing an express indemnity clause to the effect that if Duke’s title is ultimately proven to be defective, he shall refund the over N23million he’d collected from him.

To substantiate his suspicion that Duke was only minded at scamming him yet again, Ogwuche, through his lawyers, applied to the Office of the Surveyor General of Lagos State, Alausa requesting for a Charting Report in respect of the said 19 plots as drawn in the draft survey plan forwarded to Ogwuche by Duke.

According to Ogwuche, the Surveyor General in its reply dated June 23, 2024, disclaimed Duke’s alleged ownership of the said 19 plots. It stated that the land, which Duke was claiming to be his, fell within the Sky-View Scheme of the Lagos State Government.

Reacting to the allegations, Duke denies defrauding him. He explained that Ogwuche, who is not a member of CIG, approached him through a member to purchase 10 plots of land from ongoing sales in their CIG Estate.

According to him, there was a mix-up with the company through which Ogwuche intended to use in making the purchase, which was also communicated to him. As a result, Duke said he offered him alternative land at Sangotedo at N15million per plot to compensate him for the money he had paid.

“Ogwuche demanded two plots which is N30million. Since he had already paid N22million, he was to balance up N8million.
“Instead of him to complete the payment, he begged me to pay N1million and pay the balance later, against my desire that he pay once.

“But his lawyer begged that the balance should be paid in three installments,” Duke explained, adding that Ogwuche’s lawyer drafted a contract of sale, which they were reluctant to sign. He stated that the matter is before the police, who have discovered that he defrauded no one.

“The police made their investigations and found out I didn’t defraud anybody. When Ogwuche found out that the police didn’t favour him, he went to the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.

“The department came to Lagos and took the file because Alagbon police station wanted to take the case to court,” he said, adding that he had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, demanding the prosecution of Ogwuche for attempting to murder him over the matter.