Ex-govt official forfeits 753 duplexes in Abuja to FG

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has achieved its largest asset recovery yet—a vast estate in Abuja’s Lokogoma District, spanning 150,500 square meters and containing 753 duplexes and apartments.

The property, located on Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, was forfeited to the Federal Government following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie on Monday, December 2, 2024.

The forfeiture, announced via the EFCC’s official X handle, involves assets seized from a former senior government official suspected of acquiring the estate with proceeds of corruption.

Justice Onwuegbuzie ruled that the defendant failed to provide credible evidence to justify ownership, stating:

“The said ex-government official has not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property, which has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities. The property is hereby finally forfeited to the Federal Government.”

The recovery was secured under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, and Section 44(2)(B) of the 1999 Constitution. The EFCC emphasized that the forfeiture aligns with its mission to strip individuals of assets obtained through illicit means.

“The forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government by a former top brass of the government was pursuant to EFCC’s mandate and policy directive of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities,” the EFCC stated.

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EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede underscored the significance of asset recovery in the fight against corruption. Speaking recently to the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Olukoyede explained the EFCC’s approach:

“Our modus operandi has changed. The moment we begin an investigation, we begin asset tracing. That was what helped us to make our recoveries. To recover one billion naira is war. Asset recovery deprives the corrupt of financial power to resist prosecution or continue illicit activities.”

He added that asset forfeiture not only dismantles criminal financial networks but also strengthens public confidence in the anti-corruption drive.

The recovery of the Lokogoma estate is being hailed as a landmark success in Nigeria’s fight against corruption. The EFCC described it as a milestone in its operational history and a testament to the administration’s commitment to accountability.

“This recovery represents a milestone in the annals of operations of the EFCC and infallible proof of the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the anti-corruption war,” the EFCC concluded.

The unprecedented recovery highlights the importance of asset tracking and forfeiture in dismantling financial crime networks and reaffirms Nigeria’s resolve to tackle corruption head-on.