A Federal High Court, sitting in Kano, has ordered that the $9.8 million and 74,000 pounds recovered from a house belonging to former Group Managing Director of the of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu, be forfeited to the Nigerian government.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last Friday announced it recovered the money (about N3 billion in total) from a Kaduna home of the former head of the state oil firm.
Mr Yakubu, who reportedly admitted owning the money has since been arrested and is in custody of the EFCC.
The forfeiture order given by Justice Zainab Abubakar on Tuesday was sequel to an ex parte application by the EFCC seeking an interim forfeiture of the recovered money to the Federal Government.
The application was moved by Salihu Sani, counsel for the applicant.
In her ruling, Justice Zainab held “That the sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) which are now in the custody of the applicant (EFCC) are in the interim forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria”
Spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that the surprise raid of the facility was sequel to an intelligence which the commission received about suspected proceeds of crime believed to be hidden in the slums of Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna.
On arrival at the facility, the caretaker of the house, one Bitrus Yakubu, a younger brother to Andrew Yakubu, disclosed that both the house and the safe where the money was found belong to his brother, Andrew Yakubu.
When the safe was opened it was discovered that it contained the sum of $9,772,800 and another sum of £74,000.
On February 8, Mr. Yakubu reported to the Commission’s Zonal office in Kano and made statement wherein he admitted ownership of the recovered money, claiming it was gift from unnamed persons, Mr. Uwujaren said.
