A dispute over the alleged issuance of a second Nigerian passport to Abuja-based realtor Rebecca Godwin-Isaac has added a new twist to her ongoing trial over disputed property transactions worth more than ₦500 million.
Ms Godwin-Isaac is standing trial alongside her husband, Isaac Ishaku, Richard John and two companies — Homadil Realty Limited and Rychado Homes Limited — in cases involving allegations of land fraud, forgery and money laundering.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges that the defendants collected more than ₦500 million from victims between 2023 and 2024 in connection with disputed properties in Abuja’s Guzape and Katampe districts.
All the defendants have denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The latest controversy centres on Ms Godwin-Isaac’s passport.
Lawyers representing the complainant family questioned how she could obtain another passport and allegedly travel outside Nigeria while an earlier passport had been deposited with the Federal High Court as part of her bail conditions.
The lawyers petitioned the authorities, asking for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged second passport.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently directed officials to investigate the matter. The ministry’s Director of Legal Services invited the lawyers to a meeting with the Permanent Secretary to discuss their concerns. (Premium Times Nigeria)
However, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rejected the suggestion that the disputed passport was issued while Ms Godwin-Isaac was facing trial.
According to the NIS, passport number B51450551 was issued on 15 February 2025 — about four months before her arraignment on 18 June 2025.
The service said Ms Godwin-Isaac had applied for the reissue of her previous passport on 5 February 2025, before the criminal proceedings against her began. (Businessday NG)
The NIS said the earlier passport, number B00485650, had been issued in August 2021 and was due to expire in August 2026.
The conflicting accounts have placed renewed attention on the circumstances surrounding the travel restrictions imposed on Ms Godwin-Isaac and the handling of her passport documents.
The underlying criminal cases concern allegations that the defendants used disputed or allegedly forged documents in connection with the sale of land in Abuja. The EFCC has accused them of obtaining money from multiple buyers and laundering the proceeds through company accounts. (Premium Times Nigeria)
The defendants maintain their innocence.
The trial is continuing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the next hearing scheduled for 26 October.
