The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has obtained an order of the Sokoto State High Court for the permanent forfeiture of about N1.3billion said to have been traced to the bank account of one Aishatu Magaji.
The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, that the money was part of the proceeds of illicit activities.
The EFCC did not provide additional details but the agency said that the state high court issued the order of final forfeiture on Monday following the court’s earlier July 2, 2021 order of interim forfeiture.
Mr Uwujaren said the commission had, in line with the July 2, 2021 order, published the interim forfeiture order in a newspaper for anyone with interest in the money to show cause why it should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
He said when the case came up in court on Monday, the lawyers to the five respondents including the person in whose account the money was discovered did not oppose the EFCC’s application for its permanent forfeiture to the government.
Read the full statement
Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N1.3bn to FG
Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Sokoto State High Court today Monday July 19, 2021 granted a final Order, forfeiting the sum of N1, 362,675,353.56 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Six Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Three Naira, Fifty Six Kobo) to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The Judge had on July 2, 2021 granted an interim order of forfeiture of the said amount following an exparte application by the commission and directed that the order be published in a national newspaper for any one with interest in the said asset to show cause, why it should not be finally forfeited the Federal Government of Nigeria.
At today’s (Monday’s) hearing, counsel to the EFCC, S. H Sa’ad informed the Court that the Commission had complied with its order for the publication of the interim Order and urged the Court to Order the final forfeiture of the said amount to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Counsel to the five respondents, Shamsu Dauda, did not oppose the application. Justice Mohammed consequently ordered the final forfeiture of the sum to the Federal Government.
The Sokoto Zonal Office of the EFCC had through intelligence traced the funds, suspected to be proceeds of illicit activities to the account of the first respondent, Aishatu Bandado Magaji domiciled in a new generation bank.
The respondents in the charge are Aishatu Bandado Magaji, First Ninety Degrees Continental Ltd, Priceless Legacy Hub Ltd, ABM International Ltd and Zenith Bank Plc.