The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine properties allegedly linked to a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The trial judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, granted the order on Wednesday, following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The court held that the properties, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, should be forfeited to the Federal Government pending the hearing of a motion for final forfeiture.
Justice Egwuatu further directed that the interim order be published in at least two national newspapers, inviting any interested party to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the government.
The judge also ordered that the publication be made within seven days of receiving the certified true copy of the ruling, listing newspapers such as The PUNCH, The Guardian, Vanguard, Tribune, ThisDay and Independent.
“An interim order of this honourable court is made forfeiting the properties listed in the schedule attached herein being properties suspected to be proceeds of some unlawful activities pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order of the said properties.
“An order of this honourable court is made directing the publication of the interim order under order (1) above for anyone who is interested in the property to appear before this honourable court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the Judge said.
The matter was subsequently adjourned till May 25 for a report of compliance.
The EFCC, through its counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, had urged the court to grant the application on the grounds that the properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired from unlawful activities.
The affected properties are located in high-value areas of Abuja, including Maitama, Wuse, Garki, Mpape and Dakibiyu.
They include four blocks of terraces in Dakibiyu; a duplex with a penthouse and office complex on Niger Street; a standalone duplex at Palm Springs Estate, Mpape; and a 10-unit block of flats in Wuse Zone 4.
Others listed are a six-unit block of flats in Garki; two blocks containing 12 flats in Wuse II; a standalone duplex in Maitama; and a two-block structure in Garki, currently occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency.
The application was filed under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, with the commission seeking temporary forfeiture pending further proceedings.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa state, has also been mentioned in connection with an alleged failed coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, though he has not been formally charged in that case and is reportedly still at large.
The Punch
