•Recovers nine filling stations, lands
•Shields identity
Jude Johnson
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the final forfeiture of 24 landed property belonging to a top military officer.
The anti-graft agency said the property valued at N10. 9bn were controlled through proxies. But the earlier report on Monday quoted the property value seized from a serving military officer whose identify was not disclosed at N3 billion.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, Justice N. E Maha of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, granted the order while ruling on the application by counsel for the commission, Cosmos Ugwu and Musa Isah.
The statement read, “Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court on Monday, February 14, ordered the final forfeiture of 24 property held by fronts and proxies to a top military officer to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The order was pursuant to a forfeiture application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which had in May 2020 secured the forfeiture of the property on interim basis.
“The court had ordered the publication of notices in national newspapers, inviting persons with interest in the property to show reason why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
“With no such interest shown by any entity, Justice Maha on Monday, February 14, 2022, ordered the final forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government.
“The 24 property scattered across Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River States, comprise land, shopping complex, gas station and fuel stations cumulatively valued at N10, 935,000,000.00. “