The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday granted a final forfeiture order against several assets and funds following the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s advanced fee fraud allegations.
The affected assets include Galaxy Hospital (Borno), 14.8 hectares of land, several plots of land in Borno, Niger, FCT, and N335 million.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order in a motion on notice filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), marked FHC/ABJ/1058/2024.
The motion was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
EFCC Allegations
According to the EFCC affidavit in support, deposed to by Tahiru Ahmed, the forfeiture motion falls within the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The official stated that on the 13th of August, 2024, the Court made an order for interim forfeiture of the properties listed in the schedule to the application.
Nairametrics reports that the orders made by the Court also directed the EFCC to publish the properties in any national daily and on the EFCC website, inviting all persons or bodies who may have an interest in the said properties to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The said orders of the Court were complied with, and the publication was made in Punch newspapers on the 4th of September, 2024,” the official stated.
The official claimed that since the publication of the interim order of forfeiture, nobody has come forward to show interest in the said properties.
He argued that it is in the interest of justice to grant the final forfeiture application, “as no person will be prejudiced in any way.”
Properties Listed for Forfeiture by the EFCC (Schedule 1)
- Duplex (No. Bo/12340, Maiduguri, Borno State)
- Residential apartments (Plot No. 12, Equilibrium Estate; No. 7, Cadastral Zone DO2, Karsana District, Abuja; Plot No. 12 of 820.99 square meters)
- Plot of land (Plot No. 3, Dakibiyu District, Cadastral Zone B10, Abuja, FCT)
- Plot of land (Plot No. 136 on 600sqm, B TP/177, Ibrahim Taiwo Estate, Maiduguri, Borno State)
- Plot of land (Plot No. NS 11416, measuring 100x50sqm, Ado Karu LGA, Nasarawa State)
- Farmland (50 hectares, Plot No. FL-867, Gaube Farmland Ext 11 Layout)
- 4.8 hectares of land (Plot measuring about 4.8 hectares along Mal Oke State Primary School, Dakwa Town area, Tafa LGA, Niger)
- Plots of land (Plot No. NE/2111, No. 10/12 Mungono Street, Wulari, Maiduguri, Borno State; consisting of 1,749.17sqm marked with beacons B.4605, B.4604, B.6532, and B.6531)
- Plots of land (Plot Nos. YB/9516, PBY/719, PBY/7140, PBY/7141, and PBY/7142)
- Galaxy Hospital (Plot No. Bo/12340, Bolori Layout, Maiduguri, Borno State)
- Private residence (Plot No. 13426, measuring approximately 155/mz, Mararaba Gurku, Karu LGA)
- Filling station (Chabbal Village, Borno State)
- Petroleum filling station (Km 33-650m along Kaduna Zaria Express Road, Kaduna State)
- Petroleum filling station (Mogaramti along Maiduguri Kano Road, Borno State)
- Petroleum filling station (Chabal Village, Konduga Local Government, Borno State)
- Petroleum filling station (99, Sir Kashim Ibrahim Road, Maiduguri, Borno State)
- Four-bedroom terrace duplex (No. 36-04, BuildOptions Apartment Phase 36, Plot 1244, Guzape District, Abuja, FCT)
- 10 hectares of land (Proposed filling station, Baga-Maimalari Barrack Road, Maiduguri, Borno State)
Bank Accounts and Balances Attached for Final Forfeiture (Schedule 2)
- Galaxy Transportation and Communication Service Ltd (N281,455,454)
- Galaxy Computing and Electronics Service Ltd (N6,977,195.00)
- Galaxy Energy Int’l Concept Ltd (N1,240,588)
- Galaxy Transport & Construct Service (Zero balance)
- Galaxy Intercontinental Miners Concept Ltd (Zero balance)
- Galaxy Superstores & Pharmacy (Zero balance)
- Galaxy Transportation & Construction S. (N43,705,469.55)
- Abba Babagana Dalori (Zero balance)
- Galaxy Transportation & Construction (Zero balance)
What Transpired in Court
At the resumed court session on Monday, EFCC counsel Fadila Yusuf urged the court to grant a final order, forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties mentioned in Schedules 1 and 2 attached to the motion.
- She said that the Commission had complied with all directives of the court regarding the said properties.
- Ruling on her request, Justice Emeka Nwite held that, having listened to the submission of the EFCC lawyer and reviewed the affidavits in support of the motion, “I am of the view that this application (for final forfeiture) is meritorious.”
Consequently, the judge granted the application as prayed.
This is totally unfair and this is how the court has succeeded ruining many dreams. This man is into business and uses people’s money for business while paying them back with reasonable interest. Arresting him and suspending his work instead of investigating him was major setback for him… Now this, does it mean people’s hard earned money is also being forfeited to the government? The list the court could do was to turn this to a PPP and allow it continue operating.