The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into prominent businessman Prince Arthur Eze over allegations surrounding the forceful acquisition and destruction of a high-value estate in Enugu State.
The inquiry stems from a strongly worded petition accusing the billionaire and individuals linked to him of deploying what was described as “state power” — allegedly involving armed police officers and heavy machinery — to demolish structures estimated to be worth more than ₦1 billion and to unlawfully seize land valued at about ₦15 billion.
According to a petition submitted to the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command on February 5, 2026, and acknowledged the following day, the complainants alleged that the disputed property, located at Ayo Railway Station in Centenary City, Enugu, was taken over through what they termed an illegal invasion and deliberate destruction.
The petitioners stated that their ownership rights originated from a 2019 sub-lease agreement executed by Prince Arthur Eze in his role as Chairman of Triax Company Nigeria Limited. They maintained that the transaction was properly formalised through a Deed of Sub-Lease and an Irrevocable Power of Attorney, both duly registered with the Enugu State Geographic Information Service (ENGIS) under Registration Number 68/68/562.
The land in question reportedly consists of about 300 divided plots with an estimated market value exceeding ₦15 billion. The petition indicated that the property was surveyed, documented, and officially registered in the name of the late Hon. Anthony Nvene under the same ENGIS registration number. It further stated that the sub-lease arrangement was validly entered into in 2019, with Prince Arthur Eze signing the documents page by page in his capacity as lessor.
However, the complainants alleged that in October 2025, a lawyer identified as Barrister Chukwudi Oli, acting on Eze’s directives, allegedly arrived at the site accompanied by armed police officers and other individuals to demolish fences, gates, buildings, and construction materials without presenting a court order or notice of revocation from the government. They estimated the value of the destroyed property to exceed ₦1 billion.
The petitioners argued that having executed and registered the relevant legal documents in 2019, Eze could not lawfully authorise actions contradicting those agreements without following due legal procedures. They contended that the circumstances suggest possible fraud and abuse of due process.
Responding to the allegations, Barrister Chukwudi Oli, who identified himself as counsel to Prince Arthur Eze, firmly rejected the claims, branding the petitioners as impostors attempting to unlawfully claim the land.
Oli asserted that the disputed plots — identified as Plots C and D — belong to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). He explained that his client secured a new 50-year lease on the property in August 2025 after paying a premium of ₦371 million. He maintained that the allegations against him and his client were unfounded.
According to Oli, an earlier 10-year lease dating back to 2015 had lapsed without development, and he questioned the legitimacy of the petitioners’ documentation. He argued that it would be impossible to properly register such property in Enugu without evidence of a valid lease agreement and payment of the required premium.
He further stated that his team acted in compliance with a court directive and with police protection to remove what he described as illegal structures on the land, pending finalisation of documentation from the NRC.
Despite these denials, the petitioners insist that their documents bear Eze’s signature from 2019. When pressed on how the same property could have been sub-leased previously, Oli challenged the claimants to verify the exact plots referenced in their documents, suggesting they may be confusing different sections of the land. He added that specific portions, identified as Plots A and B, had previously been allocated by Eze to a former governor of Enugu State.
Meanwhile, the Nvene Association, representing the affected parties, has urged the EFCC to investigate all individuals allegedly involved in the matter, including any financiers or collaborators. The group called for clarity on how a property already registered with the state authorities could allegedly be subjected to what they described as a forceful and unlawful takeover.