Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has lost ownership of a private jet worth $6.3 million to a fraudulent scheme by two aviation business executives in Lagos.
Lawal had purchased the jet in 2014 through a company run by the executives, Ovi and Gloria Osazele, but concealed the ownership under their name, allegedly due to concerns about how he could afford the luxury item on his banker’s salary.
The scheme was uncovered when the Osazeles divorced and Ovi changed the ownership of the jet to his own name, leaving Lawal without legal recourse to recover the aircraft.
Lawal has remained silent about the fraud, fearing that reporting it would raise questions about the source of his funds for the jet and potentially link him to larger corruption scandals, including the multibillion-dollar money-laundering case involving former petroleum minister Diezani Allison-Madueke.
