Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N335m, Hospital, 5 Stations

DDM News

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of over N335 million, a hospital, five petrol stations, and other assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the order was given by Justice Emeka Nwite after a motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was deemed meritorious and uncontested.

The EFCC, through its counsel Fadila Yusuf, requested the court to issue a final forfeiture order over properties it described as proceeds of unlawful activity, having complied with all legal prerequisites, including the required public notice.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite affirmed that the EFCC followed due process and that no party had come forward to challenge the interim forfeiture order earlier issued.

“I have reviewed the submissions and affidavits presented by the applicant’s counsel,” he stated.

“I am satisfied that this application is meritorious. Consequently, it is granted as prayed.”

The ruling effectively transfers ownership of the assets to the Federal Government, after the EFCC published notice of the forfeiture in Punch newspaper on September 4, 2024, and waited the statutory period without receiving any opposition.

The EFCC listed the properties in two schedules.

Schedule 1 (Properties):

A duplex in Maiduguri, Borno State (Bo/12340, Bolori Layout).

Residential apartments in Equilibrium Estate and Karsana District, Abuja.

Plots of land in Dakibiyu District (Abuja), Ibrahim Taiwo Estate (Maiduguri), Ado Karu (Nasarawa), and Gaube Farmland (FCT).

Farmland and 4.8 hectares in Dakwa Town (Tafa LGA, Niger State).

Multiple plots in Wulari, Maiduguri, and other areas.

Galaxy Hospital, located at Bolori Layout, Maiduguri.

A private residence in Mararaba Gurku, Karu LGA.

Five petrol stations, located in Chabbal Village, Konduga LGA (Borno), Kaduna-Zaria Expressway (Kaduna), Maiduguri-Kano Road, and Sir Kashim Ibrahim Road (Maiduguri).

A four-bedroom terrace duplex in Guzape District, Abuja.

10 hectares of land for a proposed filling station in Maiduguri.

Schedule 2 (Bank Accounts & Balances):

Galaxy Transportation and Communication Service Ltd: ₦281,455,454

Galaxy Computing and Electronics Service Ltd: ₦6,977,195

Galaxy Energy Int’l Concept Ltd: ₦1,240,588

Galaxy Transportation & Construction Service: ₦43,705,469.55

Accounts with zero balance include Galaxy Transport & Construct Service, Galaxy Intercontinental Miners Concept Ltd, Galaxy Superstores & Pharmacy, Galaxy Transportation & Construction S., and personal account of Abba Babagana Dalori.

According to EFCC official Tahiru Ahmed, the assets were acquired through fraudulent means and had been under investigation since the court’s interim order on August 13, 2024.

EFCC filed the motion under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

The Commission argued that no individual or entity came forward to claim the properties after the public notice, proving that the assets were illicit and no one could lawfully assert ownership.

Legal analysts note that final forfeiture orders are the strongest legal tool available to the government for recovering assets connected to financial crimes when ownership cannot be defended.

This ruling adds to a growing list of successful EFCC prosecutions under the Tinubu administration, as the anti-graft agency increases pressure on economic saboteurs and proceeds of corruption.

The forfeited properties, especially the hospital and fuel stations, may be repurposed for public service use or auctioned, pending government directives.

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