EXCLUSIVE: Akwa-Ibom Ex-Governorship Candidate, Emem Coffie Faces Police Probe For N245million Property Fraud In Abuja, Shuns Police Invitations

The Nigeria Police Force has begun the probe of one Engineer Emem Coffie, the 2023 Akwa Ibom State governorship candidate of the Accord Party, in a N245million fraudulent property deal in Wuye District, Abuja.

SaharaReporters learnt that an Abuja-based female client, Benedicta Akpava, had petitioned the police and accused Engineer Emem Coffie of defrauding her of her hard-earned money in the luxury duplex deal in Wuye. 

Documents and police invitations obtained by SaharaReporters show that Coffie, who also serves as the Managing Director of Reticulated Global Engineering Ltd, allegedly received full payment for a four-bedroom terrace duplex with a penthouse and Boys’ Quarters — but later refused to hand over the property to the buyer. 

According to Mrs. Αkpava, her ordeal began in 2019 when she decided to stop paying rent and invest her life savings into owning a home in Abuja.

“Sir, in 2019 I decided I was tired of spending money on rent in Abuja. Every year rent kept increasing and I told myself I needed to secure a home of my own. I started saving little by little. Last year, while driving around Wuye, I saw a property that was up for sale. I drove in and made enquiries. That was how I met Engineer Emem Coffie,” she said.

“He asked me if I was an agent or the actual buyer. I told him I was the buyer. We exchanged numbers. Later in our conversation, he told me the house was N240 million, plus N5 million for documentation, making N245 million in total.”

She explained that she paid the total sum and participated in the building process, even contributing design ideas. However, things changed after the property was completed.

“By the time the building was completed and I asked him for handover, everything suddenly changed. He became angry and evasive. When I kept following up, he said the penthouse was his personal project and now that he had built it, I should pay extra money for it. I told him that penthouse was part of the original plan of the house,” she narrated. 

“From that moment he began ignoring my calls and messages. When I went to the house to see what was happening, the security guard bounced me and said it was his direct order not to allow me inside the property I already paid for.”

Αkpava said when she confronted Coffie, he allegedly threatened to refund her money with a 10% deduction. 

“I called him, and he threatened that if I talk too much, he will refund my money and even deduct 10% from it.”

Frustrated, she petitioned the police, but claimed the case was treated with indifference until the intervention of a senior police officer.

“I immediately wrote a petition. Police invited him and he kept ignoring until someone helped me reach DIG Frank Mba. DIG Frank Mba had to personally call the CP before they even started tracking him. He finally appeared and all he could say was that I was ‘rude.’ Till today, the police has not held him accountable. They treated my case like a civil disagreement,” she said.

SaharaReporters obtained a copy of the official allocation letter issued to the complainant by Reticulated Global Engineering Ltd on December 6, 2024, confirming her ownership of House A7, a four-bedroom terrace duplex with a penthouse and Boys’ Quarters at Plot 304, Palma Estate, Wuye, Abuja. 

The letter was signed by Engr. (Dr.) E.S. Coffie, MFR, as Managing Director/CEO of the company.

The police invitation letter addressed to Coffie and signed by ACP Magaji K. Mohammed from the IGP Monitoring Unit reads in part: “This office is investigating the above alleged case reported to the Inspector General of Police in which your name featured prominently… you are kindly requested to interview the undersigned through SP Mojirade Obisiji on Thursday 17th September, 2025 by 1pm to shed more light on the allegations.” 

Despite these official documents, Αkpava says Coffie has continued to defy police invitations and is allegedly attempting to resell the property.

“Some days ago, I saw that he posted a picture of himself with the Inspector General of Police, the same institution where I could not get justice,” she lamented.

“Sir, please I need help. This is my sweat. I am a single mother. I have no one pushing this case for me. I worked hard and saved to secure a home for all the children I support through my foundation, and one man wants to take that from me just because he believes I don’t have power.”

“I called the CP handling the case to help me charge to court and he’s saying I should wait till 17th of November for their feedback. Whereas the man is trying to use the court to stop me from getting near the property, hence the buying of time.”

Efforts by SaharaReporters to reach Emem Coffie for comments on the allegations were unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to his known phone numbers went unanswered as of press time.