On Wednesday, Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, granted an interim forfeiture to the Kogi State Government of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja, and the United Arab Emirates.
The judge also ordered that the N400,000,000 that was found on Aminu Falala be kept.
The funds “are reasonably suspected to have been obtained from illegal activity and intended for the acquisition of Plot No.” Victoria Island, Lagos, 1224 Bishop Oluwole Street.
Following an ex parte application from the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Justice Oweibo granted the order.
An affidavit signed by EFCC investigating officer Adekunbi Mojibola served as support for the application.
According to Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the EFCC’s legal counsel, the properties, such as “Hotel Apartment Community, Burj Khalifa at Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E.,” were “reasonably suspected” to have been derived from illegal activity.
Justice Oweibo granted the request and ordered the commission to publish the interim order within 14 days so that any interested party could provide justification as to why the forfeiture order should not be issued in favor of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The matter was put on hold until March 28, 2023.