The estate located at Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
By Mercy Inyang
A Federal High in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a multibillion naira estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 Units of duplexes and other apartments.
Delivering ruling on an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, ordered that the property be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent had not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property to the federal government.
“The said property is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
“The respondent has not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property to the federal government.
“The property is hereby finally forfeited to the federal government,” the judge ordered.
The Estate, which rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, is believed to have been corruptly acquired by a former government official, who failed to come up with documentary proof of ownership and source of income.
Periscope International reports that the forfeiture makes it the single largest asset recovery by the EFCC since its inception in 2003.
The property’s forfeiture by a former top official of the federal government is pursuant to EFCC’s mandate of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities.
The EFCC had filed the suit relying 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.
Earlier on Nov. 1, the EFCC had secured before the judge an interim forfeiture order against the property and the ex-official who fraudulently built the estate.
