Ownership of cash recovered by EFCC sparks controversy
The ownership of the building where huge amounts of cash were recovered in local and foreign currencies on Wednesday was yesterday greeted with controversy as some prominent Nigerians have been mentioned in connection with the money.
Court orders forfeiture of money to FG
The ownership of the building where huge amounts of cash were recovered in local and foreign currencies on Wednesday was yesterday greeted with controversy as some prominent Nigerians have been mentioned in connection with the money.
As at press time yesterday, three prominent Nigerians had been mentioned as owners of the high rise building and the cash found in it. Former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, who is also a former governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Mu’azu, former Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Retails (NNPC), Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue and an unnamed daughter of former Chairman Board of Trustees of the PDP, Anthony Anenih have been mentioned.
However, both Muazu and Ogbue had denied ownership of the building and the recovered cash. A statement from Ogbue’s lawyer, Emeka Etiaba said she was shocked as other Nigerians at the EFCC’s discovery. She also commended the commission and the Federal Government’s whistleblower’s policy as yielding positive results.
Neither Anthony Anenih nor his daughter could be reached for comments, but Spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren told The Guardian that the Commission was yet to ascertain ownership of the building and the money adding, “the matter is still under investigation.”
He said investigation was yet to be concluded on the earlier recovered monies just as he confirmed the latest recoveries of $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m at a four bedroom apartment on Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered the temporary forfeiture of the money recovered by the EFCC in Ikoyi on Wednesday. Justice Muslim Hassan adjourned till May 5, 2017 for anyone interested in the funds to show up with proof why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
He gave the forfeiture order shortly after entertaining an ex parte application by a counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo. He said that due to security reasons and of the volume of cash, the EFCC could not bring the money to the court but registered it as Exhibit EFCC 04.
Justice Hassan, in his ruling, granted the interim reliefs and prayer of the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in any national newspaper to inform members of the public.
He adjourned till May 5, 2017 for individuals to come forward with proof of ownership or the money would be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
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28 Comments
Nigeria is totally backward,so all those building in that prominent place are not registered even with the local council, so they do not pay tenantment tax. Ah!, Nigeriaaaaa!, So, the buildings are just there, theses owners do not pay tax, because if they are paying tenant- tax, EFCC can trace the ownership through tax office or Local council in that area. There is problem, we have long ways to go. Masses must now buckle-up our shoes, and take actions quickly, if we do not want to continue to be a wasted generation.
Do you believe all that? Why not wait some more for the truth to prevail prevail.
What can we do? We are watching. If I say we are waiting, what for and what can we do? we are just grumbling inside our houses, with only corner of mouths. We are Watching.
Too funny 😂 😂 😂
Not funny! We are in 100 percent MESS. We are in Refuse Dumping Land, where some people are just picking as they like. Not funny, if we do not think what to do know, our forthcoming-generations will rain curse on us. Not funny. What happened in China before their revolution was not up to what is happening in Nigeria in this century, we are afraid, who want to die, and we are looking for CHANGE.
You know what, better and credible politicians will emerge in 2019, once those useless looters don’t have free money to throw around they will give Nigerians breathing space
MY question DO OUR LEADERS HAVE CONSCIENCE? MAY GOD HELP US DELIVER THESE COUNTRY
Conscience is a golden gift from God and it is never for everybody .
What sought of god is that, who will give conscience to some and not others? You have to stop this nonsensical god business. If you keep parading your baseless god stuff, are you any better than bokoharam? Please grow up!
In a situation where I refused to grow up ,how do you solve the problem ? A religion without conscience is not religious .
Conscience is inborn, when you engaged in evil repeatedly, it becomes deadened. It will no longer be sensitive. That explains what has happened to Nigerian leaders.
Nigeria is a Big Joke on this planet
I agree with you and I, personally have said it before: ” We are a joke and not a country!!!”
As far as I’m concerned I don’t care who owns the building, all I care for is bringbackourmoney
If it would not be “ole ji ole gba”
This huge sum could construct an 8 lane super highway with a median to centrally carry telecommunication duct, ccctv cameras with scanners, lights and a befitting drainage system from Calabar, Cross River State to Makurdi, Benue State and back to Akwa Ibom and Enugu States through Rivers State, yet its been stored in an empty store to rot. this is sheer wickedness.
Why not mentioning from Edo to Lagos the States that accommodate both good and bad Nigerians unmolested including the Igbo and Ijaw armed robbers/ kidnappers.The Oduduwa States-
Some Nigerians have gone crazy!
It is easy to find out how owe the money. Let EFCC get to know the owner or estate managers of the house through other tenants in the building. The estate managers or the landlord will then tell them who that apartment was rainted to. Simple.
Fantastically corrupt country!
Nigeria seems to have endless supply of crooks and heartless individuals and groups who will not hesitate to steal vast sums from projects intended for the benefit of all our people. All right minded Nigerians will be forever be shamed by the behaviour of these thugs and thieves like Ibori. We will have to suffer in this way until we cease celebrating the release of such mindless thieves like Ibori.
Very True! Jovi.
Everyday EFCC keeps recovering millions, billions and trillions of naira, what then is the money use for that the economy is still struggling to revive leading to much hardship in the country?
God please help Nigerian from the beasts we call leaders, this is why they want buhari dead and magu remove, but God will keep buhari and magu
Who are those sparking the controversy? By the time proper analysis of each one of them concluded, the true criminals can easily identified (PDP).
With ‘ll these Looted Fund everywhere…. I CAN NOW BELIEVE — Goodluck Ebele Jonathan — RULLING Nigeria IS A DISASTER.
EFCC knows who this money belongs to and who owns the flat at the money was stashed away but does not want to make it public because it’ras a highly placed person whose identity will embarrass the Administration. The bank that handled the transactions of this money is easy to trace or the person that the money was paid to. EFCC is playing to the collective intelligence of all Nigerians. And if EFCC is allowed to get away with this charade, chances are that it can and will plant money on an innocent person just to frame him/her up. That is the danger of letting this Agency have absolute power over the citizenry.
i agree with the person that said that itis a highly placed government official in this government that owns the money because when they found money in Andrew Yakubu house they were quick to come out and tell us who had it but in this case the efcc and the government are only fooling themselves by deceiving the Nigerians that believe them about who owns the money.
We will review and take appropriate action.