Ex-govt official loses ‘753 units of duplexes’, others to FG

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made its largest asset recovery since its inception in 2003 after a court ordered the final forfeiture of an estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments belonging to a former government official.

The ruling on the estate, located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, was delivered by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie on December 2, 2024.

In a statement on Monday, the EFCC said the final forfeiture of the property to the federal government was in line with its mandate and policy directive to ensure that corrupt individuals do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities.

In this instance, the commission relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pursue its case.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent had not shown cause as to why the property should not be forfeited, stating:

“[The property] has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities. The property is hereby finally forfeited to the federal government.”

The final forfeiture order followed an interim forfeiture order secured before the same judge on November 1, 2024.

According to the EFCC, the government official who fraudulently built the estate is currently under investigation.

The justification for the forfeiture is derived from Part 2, Section 7 of the EFCC Establishment Act, which stipulates that the EFCC “has power to cause investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organization has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes, and cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the Commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.”