Court Orders EFCC To Seize Kogi Government Linked Multibillion Naira Properties

By Damilare Adeleye

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) request for the interim forfeiture of 14 properties situated in Lagos, Abuja and United Arab Emirates linked to the Kogi State Government.

In his ruling on Wednesday, on the suit marked FHC/L/CS/301/2023, Justice Nicholas Oweibo granted the order following an ex parte motion filed by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.

The EFCC told 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 illegal means.

Oyedepo further informed the court that the N400m 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.”

While ruling, Justice Oweibo authorised the EFCC to confiscate the sum of N400million also linked to the State and recovered from one Aminu Falala.

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 permanent.