A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered the temporary forfeiture of two properties belonging to former Senate President Bukola Saraki in Ikoyi area of Lagos.
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in an ex-parte application filed by the Commission’s lawyer, Nnaemeka Omewa, sought an order of interim forfeiture of the properties located at No. 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos, alleging that they were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities.
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Part of the reliefs sought by the EFCC included “An order of this honourable Court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria landed property with appurtenances situate, lying and known as No. 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State found and recovered from the respondent which property is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity”.
The Commission in supporting affidavits, alleged that the former Senate President acquired the two properties with proceeds of unlawful activity; that while serving as governor of Kwara State, he withdrew over twelve billion cash from the account of the Kwara Government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith Banks through one of his personal assistant, Abdul Adama, at different intervals.
Ruling on the application, Justice Mohammed Liman ordered the interim forfeiture of the two properties.
He also instructed that the EFCC should publish the order in a national newspaper within fourteen days, for anyone with interest in the properties to show cause, why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
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Reports in May had suggested that the anti-graft agency had seized the houses.
The houses in question were the subject of Saraki’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) at the beginning of his Senate Presidency.
The suit was later dismissed for lack of evidence.
