The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of a warehouse and 54 containers in Ogun State suspected to be acquired by fraud.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu made the order on Thursday, December 19, 2024, following a December 17, 2024 motion on notice filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its lead counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who appeared with Hanatu Kofanaisa in suit FHC/L/MISC/820/24.
The Commission informed the court that it reasonably suspected the properties, listed in Schedule A, to have been acquired and or developed with proceeds of unlawful activity.
The forfeited properties, including all its appurtenances, are “a warehouse built on a landed property measuring 1.925 hectares at KM 8 along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area Of Ogun State” and 54 general purpose steel containers.
Oyedepo told the judge that the EFCC’s grounds for the application were that the “court has the statutory powers under the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 to grant the reliefs being sought.
“That the properties sought to be forfeited are reasonably suspected to been acquired with proceeds of an unlawful activities.
“This Honourable Court has the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine this application.”
Upon reading the affidavit in support of the motion on notice sworn to by an EFCC investigating officer Vincent Sunday Kwambuge, and Exhibits attached, as well as a written address in support of the Motion on Notice
And after hearing the application, Justice Dipeolu held:
“The application succeeds and same is accordingly granted.
“A final forfeiture order is hereby granted forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, properties contained in Schedule A herein which are reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”
