Nigeria: Court Orders Forfeiture of Lagos, Abuja, Dubai Properties Linked to Kogi Govt

22 February 2023
Vanguard (Lagos)
By Innocent Anaba

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted an order of interim forfeiture of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja, United Arab Emirates linked to the Kogi State government, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Trial judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, granted the order following an ex parte motion filed and argued by EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo(SAN).

Oyedepo informed the court that the properties, including the one in the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE, were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity.

Justice Oweibo also authorised the EFCC to confiscate N400 million also linked to the state and recovered from one Aminu Falala.

Oyedepo further told the court that the N400 million was 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 judge also directed the EFCC to publish the order within 14 days for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made permanently.

Read the original article on Vanguard.

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