₦airaland Forum

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has reversed an earlier decision by a Federal High Court that stopped the EFCC from seizing 14 properties allegedly linked to Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.


Justice Yargata Nimpar, delivering the judgment virtually with two other justices concurring, said the lower court erred by dismissing the case based on the governor’s constitutional immunity. She stated the court should have ruled on whether the properties should be permanently forfeited to the government.

With this new ruling, the EFCC is now allowed to go ahead with a full hearing to decide if the properties should be permanently forfeited.


The case began at the Federal High Court in Lagos, where Justice Nicholas Oweibo had earlier allowed the EFCC to temporarily seize the 14 properties located in Lagos, Abuja, and Dubai.

The agency had claimed the properties were likely bought with illegal money.

The court also told the EFCC to publish the order in newspapers and give others the chance to contest the seizure if they had any interest in the properties.


Governor Bello later filed an objection. He argued that the properties were bought before he became governor and couldn’t have been purchased with state money.

He also said the EFCC had no right to go after him because, as a sitting governor, he was protected by the Constitution from court cases.

He added that a state court in Kogi had already stopped the EFCC from investigating the state’s accounts, and that the case should not be in Lagos since the properties were in other places.


The EFCC, led by lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), insisted that the properties, including a luxury apartment in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, were suspicious and likely funded by crime. They also asked for the forfeiture of ₦400 million linked to the same case.

But the Federal High Court judge, Oweibo, agreed with Bello and struck out the case, saying the Constitution protected him from such legal actions while in office.

Unhappy with this decision, the EFCC went to the Court of Appeal, asking that the case be brought back.


The Appeal Court agreed with the EFCC. It ruled that even though a governor is protected from being sued, that does not apply to property that may have been bought with illegal money. The court said such property can still be investigated and temporarily seized until a final decision is made.

The court dismissed all of Bello’s objections, restored the seizure order, and told the EFCC to continue with the process to permanently take over the properties.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/Court-upholds-EFCC’s-right-to-seize-Yahaya-Bello’s-properties

But why? Mtweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Well done EFCC. Try harder we can have sanity that we deserve as a nation.

Make them seize am and share am to all the citizens of Kogi state

What a welcome development. The court of appeal has now given the agency the strength and support needed to go after all those vagabond in power.

This EFCC chairman is Pastor, he will do the right thing.

They struggle to be in Power, making endless promises, only to acquire money and properties.

EFCC IS A TOOTHLESS BULLDOG......

ALL TALKS NO ACTION..

Bunch of unprofessional people....

St what age did he become a governor that he was able to acquire such properties in Lagos, Abuja and Dubia, didnt he declear his asset when he was sworn in as governor so what sort of lies is that?

More investigations should be carried out, when did he buy the properties, get statement of payment from his banks.

Seize all the property and send his to jail, he has committed a crime already.

If everyone an entrepreneur employs is stealing from his business then there is something fundamentally wrong with the business model.

Nigerians are better served by looking into how the country operates if these stories of high level graft are to be a thing of the past.

Why is every one in authority a criminal and how do we end up putting the foxes in charge of out chicken coop.

Bello that suppose rot with his property in jail

Audio lol lol lol lol
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Nice one. I hope he loose every penny he looted from kogi state

adenigga:
Source: https://dailypost.ng/Court-upholds-EFCC’s-right-to-seize-Yahaya-Bello’s-properties

Politicians see Democracy as a way to enrich themselves not to bring public good.

Pls when you seize those properties and assets don't return them back to kogi state oh....until there's another governor who's not under yahaya bello

Both Bello and his properties supposed to be cooling off at kirikiri maximum prison.

yarimo:
But why? Mtweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Are you seeing the ones you are hailing your patriots how they are using your common wealth buying houses all-over the world while you are suffering here when election reach they will again bring ballots box to you

Let's start like dis, 14 properties, how much was his salary and allowance during d time he was governor dat enable him acquire 14 properties.
2, the #500m he used to bail himself, how did he get it. Knowing well dat, 8yrs as governor both salary and allowance will not get him such amount?
3, what will be the judgment, knowing well dat all he has is 90% corruption?

Where Bello see money from Fair plus Travels carry buy money from Burj Khalifa. Kai that man see our youth mentor

Paragon311:
EFCC IS A TOOTHLESS BULLDOG......

ALL TALKS NO ACTION..

Bunch of unprofessional people....

And what can you do better than barking at every positive step for barking sake keyboard warrior?

If he bought the properties before he became Governor, why trying to seize them? Unless he was involved in some shady business before then

You obviously did not read the post.

However, you may state your real issues with the Commission.

Paragon311:
EFCC IS A TOOTHLESS BULLDOG......

ALL TALKS NO ACTION..

Bunch of unprofessional people....

Nigeria is a joke of a country I can say we are never ready in this country

All of you praising the EFCC were the same people insulting them when bello was doing his nonsense online... everything is not about social media.

Ahh nothing will happen, was it not the same court that said he should be remanded in custody? Did anything happen, instead his birthday was celebrated nationwide.

Lol…dem go soon pursue white lion and Jim family comot for house

This guy was just stealing Kogi state funds so much to even start thinking of running for presidency. That fact he think he can run for presidential election shows he really stole so much from kogi

Seizing properties of big thief , I’m lovin it + 4 more characters

Last last who will finally own the properties, another bigger thief will now still it and that's the end. Abacha loot nko where is it?mtchew

Sirleo05:
Let's start like dis, 14 properties, how much was his salary and allowance during d time he was governor dat enable him acquire 14 properties.
2, the #500m he used to bail himself, how did he get it. Knowing well dat, 8yrs as governor both salary and allowance will not get him such amount?
3, what will be the judgment, knowing well dat all he has is 90% corruption?

you dey do calculation for a 'fantastically' corrupt person, you are still talking about the one you hear, did you not hear how he paid for all his children school fees ahead down to their graduation with dollar in an America owned school, you really get time