Court orders interim forfeiture of 14 properties linked to Kogi govt, preservation of N400m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday secured an interim forfeiture of 14 properties as well as preservation of N400 million linked to the Kogi State government.

The commission spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, made this known in he statement he signed and made available to Tribune Online.

According to him, the forfeiture order of the properties located in Lagos, Abuja and United Arab Emirates (UAE) was granted by Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting at Ikoyi, Lagos.

He added that Justice Oweibo also ordered the preservation of the sum of N400million recovered from one Aminu Falala, which “is reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity and intended to be used for the acquisition of Plot No. 1224 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island Lagos.”

The order granted followed an ex parte application filed by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Adekunbi Mojibola, an investigating officer with the EFCC.

“Moving the application today, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, stated that the properties, including “Hotel Apartment Community, Burj Khalifa lying, being and situate at, Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E.”, were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity,” Uwijaren stated.

In his ruling on the application, Justice Oweibo granted the application, as prayed and directed the Commission to publish the interim order within 14 days for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned till March 28, 2023.