Court orders final forfeiture of N335m, hospital, filling stations to FG

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of N335 million, a hospital, five filling stations, and other undisclosed assets to the Federal Government.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)‘s lawyer, Fadila Yusuf, successfully moved a motion to that effect.

EFCC counsel, Fadila Yusuf, had urged the court to grant the final forfeiture of the properties listed in Schedules I and II, confirming that the commission had fully complied with all previous court directives.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite found the EFCC’s application to be well-founded. “I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and reviewed the affidavits in support of the motion. I am of the view that this application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted as prayed,” he stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the anti-graft agency initiated the motion on notice, designated FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2024, in accordance with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.

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An affidavit supporting the motion, deposed to by EFCC official Tahiru Ahmed, affirmed that the forfeiture request fell within the court’s inherent jurisdiction. Ahmed stated that on August 13, 2024, the court had issued an order for the interim forfeiture of the properties detailed in the application’s schedules.

The court had further directed the commission to publicize the assets in a national daily and on its website, inviting any individuals or entities with an interest in the properties to demonstrate why they should not be ultimately forfeited to the Federal Government.

Ahmed confirmed that these court orders were fulfilled, with the publication appearing in Punch newspapers on September 4, 2024. He additionally noted that since the interim forfeiture order was publicized, no person or body had come forward to express interest in the said properties.

The EFCC official concluded that granting the final forfeiture application was in the interest of justice, as “no person will be prejudiced in any way” by the decision.

Credit : NAN