The Department of State Security (DSS) has arrested Pastor Christian Duru, Secretary of the Imo State Artisan Association (ISARTA), for allegedly defrauding the Imo State government of N30 million in a suspicious land transaction.
The disputed deal involves 4.5 hectares of land reportedly designated for the association, reports Daily Independent.
Pastor Duru’s arrest followed a petition by Ernest Ibejiako, the Imo State Commissioner for Industry, Mines, and Solid Minerals. The commissioner’s complaint outlined alleged fraudulent practices surrounding a land allocation deal made in 2017. According to the petition, ISARTA claimed to have paid N40 million to the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Solid Minerals for the land allocation, but discrepancies in payment records raised concerns.
The association presented a receipt for N8 million as part of the transaction, but an investigation later confirmed that the receipt was forged. Additionally, N22 million of the claimed payment was reportedly recorded via an affidavit instead of an official treasury receipt, casting further suspicion on the deal’s legitimacy.
During questioning, Pastor Duru admitted that the funds in question were handed over to unnamed individuals at a local hotel, a detail that investigators found concerning and indicative of possible misconduct.
Commissioner Ibejiako affirmed the state government’s commitment to reclaiming public assets lost through fraudulent activities. He announced that the allocation of the land to ISARTA had been revoked and that Pastor Duru would face legal proceedings after the investigation concludes. The commissioner emphasised that the association would need to pay N30 million to the state treasury to settle the alleged fraud.
