A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of N131.237,800.00 and multi-million Naira property bought with funds allegedly stolen from the Federal Ministry of Power by seven persons and two companies.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo made the order on Wednesday (December 18, 2019) following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendants are: Bilikisu Fatolu, Fatolu Shuaib Gbolahan, I. I. Ikwuegbu, Nwachukwu Ogbonna C., Elvic Hotel, Abdullahi Aminu Hamcheta, Shamia Exclusive International Ltd, Abdullahi Abubakar Danburam and Dada Matthew Olugbenga.

The properties are located in Abuja, Kaduna, Kogi and Nassarawa States.

They include: A unit of three bedrooms, two units of shops, a shop in an open space, a plot of land, Elvic Hotel with an events hall, generator house and appurtenances, a piece of land, eight units of shops and restroom.

Others are: A plot of land, one unit of two bedroom detached bungalow, two units of shops, two hectares of land and bank drafts and cheques bearing the sum of N131.237,800.00.

The sums and properties were first forfeited in the interim by Justice Dimgba J on October 19, 2018, pursuant to an ex parte application of September 28, 2018, filed by EFCC counsel O. O Adeola.

Granting his prayer, Justice Dimgba directed the EFCC to cause to be published in The Nation Newspaper so that any person or corporate body who may have interest in the properties and the sum of money, may within 14 days of the publication, show cause why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

But, following Justice Dimgba’s transfer to another jurisdiction, the matter was assigned to Justice Taiwo.

At the hearing of the motion on notice on Dec 16, the EFCC informed the court that it had complied with the instruction and published the said order in The Nation of November 5, 2018 and that the EFCC had succeeded in personally serving all the defendants.

Granting the anti-graft agency’s prayer for final forfeiture, Justice Taiwo said he had established service of the processes against the defendants as can be seen from the records of the court.

He said: “It means that none of the defendants can deny that they are not aware of this suit which has to do with forfeiture of their interests in properties, the subject matter of this application, jointly or severally.

“I have gone through the affidavit before me which remain unchallenged and uncontroverted.

“I have stated above that the defendants are aware of this suit. They filed no counter affidavit to show that the properties and the huge sum of money found in the accounts of some of them are not proceeds of crime.

“These defendants are said to have stolen money from the Ministry of Power by fraudulent schemes and that they were arrested and they all volunteered written statements.

“They were said to have acquired properties with the stolen money, yet they filed no counter affidavit to these very weighty allegations of criminality. In any case they were said to have admitted during investigation to have stolen the funds from the Ministry of Power.”

The judge noted that he would be failing in his duty not to act according to the law and in line with judicial precedent if he did not grant the application for final forfeiture.

Justice Taiwo added: “I hereby order final forfeiture of the properties listed in the schedule of assets and properties attached to the motion on notice to the Federal Government of Nigeria. It means that this application is meritorious.

“All the orders sought vide the application on notice dated the 19th day of November 2018 are hereby granted as prayed. This is the judgement of the court.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/court-forfeits-n131m-hotels-houses-stolen-from-ministry-of-power/

Where are all the money forfeited and recovered and yet citizens are living in penury.

CalabarHookUp:
Where are all the money forfeited and recovered and yet citizens are living in penury.

A nation of over 180m people and you feel a few recoveries would turn the 180m into millionaires. smh

Time for the FG to create a jail in the Atlantic for criminals that loot the states treasury

Ney

The 3 core ethnic groups are all represented here...

E

Why don't FG jail these greedy people?

Wow

Blindersoff:


A nation of over 180m people and you feel a few recoveries would turn the 180m into millionaires. smh

You're not so good at maths sir

We have kleptomaniacs in our system

Still buying all Bitcoin’s

Na so so Wayo Wayo people full dx we obodo Nigeria....upon all the money wey dem Don dey tell Us since say dem Recover... Our country still Dey owe workers their minimum wage


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CalabarHookUp:
Where are all the money forfeited and recovered and yet citizens are living in penury.

They go into new pockets. In Ibadan accent " shebi gofment money na turn by turn. Na nassonal cake o".

RexTramadol1:





You're not so good at maths sir

You are not so mentally sound sir

I'm sure the thieves would have been lamenting how bad power supply is in the country.

[s]

voltron14:
I'm sure the thieves would have been lamenting how bad power supply is in the country.

[/s]
trash

RexTramadol1:





You're not so good at maths sir

Even after you've been schooled.

Naija una too get stubborn head.

year of forfeiture

[s]

voltron14:


Even after you've been schooled.

Naija una too get stubborn head.

[/s]
claptrap

GEOANDSONS:
Wow

Nigeria is the most strongest country I know, cos what has been stolen from her and she is still standing and striving to survived is unbelievable.
They have stolen from her, still stealing, and would still steal.

Blindersoff:


A nation of over 180m people and you feel a few recoveries would turn the 180m into millionaires. smh

Ok.but I guess this recovery we have been hearing is enough to fund the budget, why going for more loan?

The defendants are: Bilikisu Fatolu, Fatolu Shuaib Gbolahan, I. I. Ikwuegbu, Nwachukwu Ogbonna C., Elvic Hotel, Abdullahi Aminu Hamcheta, Shamia Exclusive International Ltd, Abdullahi Abubakar Danburam and Dada Matthew Olugbenga.

One Nigeria
Kikikiki

Humphrizy:
Na so so Wayo Wayo people full dx we obodo Nigeria....upon all the money wey dem Don dey tell Us since say dem Recover... Our country still Dey owe workers their minimum wage


Kindly call or whatsapp 0"8"0"92'1519"59 if you need Pure Original Unadulterated Honey.. Thanks

The Federal government is NOT owing salaries.

aimuan:
Ok.but I guess this recovery we have been hearing is enough to fund the budget, why going for more loan?

I thought America was one of the richest nations on the planet.

How come they are owing trillions of dollars?

Buhari just dey collect anyhow

aimuan:
Ok.but I guess this recovery we have been hearing is enough to fund the budget, why going for more loan?

Our budget as at this year was about 9 trillion naira. Can you tell me which recoveries are enough to fund our budget with? I would like to know.