Cecelia Ibru Suffers More Asset Confiscation by EFCC

Source: huhuonline.com
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The last is yet to be heard about the former MD of Oceanic Bank Mrs Cecilia Ibru following the interim order on the seizure of assets and properties granted by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, the operatives of the Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on Monday (January 25) began to seal off some of the properties linked to the former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru. Cecilia Ibru is presently facing 25 count criminal charge was discovered to have properties locally and abroad. In Nigeria, 51 properties have been traced to Ibru spanning locations in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.


Some of the assets huhuonline.com gathered include sprawling properties in choice areas of Lagos like Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikeja among other places. In an on-going exercise, the operatives stormed a number of the properties in Lagos on the Ikoyi axis and took over the ones located at George Street, Iru Close, Glover and Cooper Road respectively. On Ikoyi Axis alone, 16 more properties would be visited when the exercise continues tomorrow, Tuesday after which they would move to other areas of the city. Among other properties traced to the ex-bank Chief include, 5 properties in Victoria Island, 8 in Lekki Peninsula, 3 Lagos Island, 8 in Lagos mainland including a filling station, and several others in Abuja and Port Harcourt which will be visited by the operatives in the course of the operations.


It would be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had August last year sacked the chief executive officers of Intercontinental Bank (Erastus Akingbola), Union Bank (Bartholomew Ebong), Afribank (Sebastian Adigwe), Oceanic Bank (Ibru) and FinBank (Okey Nwosu) and their managements. Ibru was arrested, detained and charged to court by the anti-graft agency, but was later released on bail. The EFCC got a court order empowering it to confiscate properties belonging to all the sacked CEOs in order to recover the money allegedly stolen by them while in the office. The anti-graft body had recovered several properties of the sacked Intercontinental former boss, Akingbola in Nigeria and abroad. Ibru, according to the Commission, owns several personal properties in and outside the country, including United States of America, London, Dubai, South Africa. She also owns several properties in Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Abuja, it said.


In a notice of attachment of assets/properties signed by the EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, the agency said the exercise was sequel to the power conferred on it by Section 28 of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004. Among the assets confiscated by the agency include Real Property, Ikeja; Good Shepherd House, IPM Avenue, Opposite Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos (registered in the name of Ogekpo Estate Managers); Residential block with 19 apartments on 34, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi (registered in the name of Dilivent International Limited); 20 Oyinkan Abayomi Street, Victoria Island (remainder of lease or tenancy up to 2017).

Others are 15,000 square metres of land at Okunade Water Front, Lekki Peninsula; 7,000 square metres of land at Okunade Water Front, Lekki Peninsula - (registered in the name of Melake Properties Limited). Also, Metro Plaza Building, 991/992 Zakari Maimalari Street, Central Area, Zone 5, Abuja, (registered in the name of Abinof Food Company Limited); 4 Floor Building at Herbert Macaulay Way, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja (registered in the name of Casi Properties and Investment Ltd).

Properties confiscated in Dubai include International City, Building Y18, Shop 18, International City, Building Y5, Shop 1, International City, Building Y5, Shop 2, International City and Building Y5, Shop 3. Others in South Africa are Accustrat (Pty) Limited; Meha Real Estate, Scharde Designs PTY Limited; and Vakson Freehold Properties Limited, while in US the agency confiscated properties located in 4155 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland purchased at $452,508.00 (registered in the name of Anita DaSilva Ibru); property at 4145 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, purchased at $440,105.00 (registered in the name of Anita DaSilva Ibru); property at 4139 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, purchased at $451,629.00 (registered in the name of Edesiri Onatejerohene Ibru); and property at 4149 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, purchased at $473,657.00 (registered in the name of Obaro and Hirut Ibru) amongst others.