Business of insecurity: Military officer loses N10.9bn property to FG

The business of insecurity in Nigeria that has been flourishing behind the scenes is becoming exposed in the country. An officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces has lost property worth over N10.9 billion to the federal government, having been confiscated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The military officer whose source of wealth could not be ascertain, neither were the properties within his legitimate income as a public officer in Nigeria, had acquired 24 choice properties across the country which through proxies cannot be defended.

The court had granted final forfeiture of the 24 properties as requested by the EFCC on Monday after a period of advertorial for claims of ownership produced no response.

It was indicated that the Order of the court was pursuant to a forfeiture application by the EFCC, which had in May 2020 secured the forfeiture of the properties on interim basis.

Accordingly, the court ordered the publication of notices in national newspapers, “inviting persons with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.” the goal of to ascertain the right of ownership, and probably prove the EFCC wrong that they were fraudulently acquired.  The court order of final forfeiture exposes the depth of corruption in the military.

Unfortunately, no one showed up to claim ownership or interest in any of the properties. The Hudge, Justice Maha, therefore,  ordered the final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday.

The 24 properties identified to be sited in several states across the country which include Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River States, are spread into different sectors of the Nigerian economy like land, shopping complex, gas station and fuel stations.

The list of the properties is presented below:

1.                    A 16 Pump filling Station located at Rijiyar Lemo, Kano.
2. A Filling Station with 41 pumps located opposite Federal Secretariat, Kano.
3. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along BUK Road, Kano.
4. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Zaria Bypass, Kano.
5. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.
6. A Filling Station with 29 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.
7. A Filling Station with 23 pumps located along Naibawa , Kano.
8. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along Bachirawa, Kano.
9. A Filling Station with 51 pumps and a one-storey building with 35 shops attached to the Filling Station located along Shiek Ja’afar Road Dorayi, Kano.
10. An LPG plant with 30 shops attached to it located along Zaria Road, Kano.
11. Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdullahi Road, Farm Centre, Kano.
12. A three storey building (Plaza) With 28 shops located on Hadeja Road, next to Sheshe Supermarket, Kano.
13. A three-storey building (Plaza) with 126 shops located on Audu Bako Way, Opposite Nation Plaza, Kano.
14. Classic Block Industry at Maiduguri Road, Kano.
15. Atlasfield Corporate Headquarters, No. L6 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna.
16. Undeveloped plot located at Sharada, Adjacent A.A. Rano Filling Station, Kano.
17. Undeveloped plot located at Yan Rake, Adjacent Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano.
18. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, Adjacent Kedco Regional Office, Kano North/Opposite Silver Spoon Restaurant, Kano.
19. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, opposite Markaz Mosque, Kano.
20. Undeveloped plot located on Sani Marshal Road, Opposite Nissan Automobile, Kano.
21. 11.7 hectares located Adjacent TINAPA Resort, Adiabo, Calabar. 22. Truck Assembly Plant, Easter Bypass, Kano.
23. Event Center located in Calabar, Cross River State.
24. Aflac Plastics Limited located behind National Eye Center, Kaduna.

Meanwhile, the identity of the military officer is yet to be disclosed.

Nigerians will begin to witness the exposure of the merchandise of insecurity in the country, the beneficiaries of the protracted violence of Boko Haram terrorists, ISWAP in the northeast, and bandits in the northwest despite efforts of the federal government.