A federal high court sitting in Lagos has ordered the
final forfeiture of the discovered sums of money in an
Ikoyi apartment to the federal government.
Muslim Hassan, the presiding judge, ordered the final
forfeiture of the monies – $43m, £27, 000 and NN23m
after they were temporary forfeited to the government.
In April, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC)discovered the sums, following a
tip-off from a whistle-blower.
The court had earlier ordered an interim forfeiture of
the monies following an ex-parte application filed by
the EFCC.
Hassan held that the monies were suspected proceeds
of criminal activity consistent with the claims of the
anti-graft agency.
He also pointed to the fact that no one showed up in
court to claim the controversial amounts of money,
gave credence to the claim of the EFCC.
Since the discovery by the security agency, there have
been controversies following the ownership of the
monies as all those linked to it or the apartment had
denied any existing link.
The discovery had also led to the suspension of
Ayodele Oke, director-general (DG) of National
Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Oke had claimed that the monies belonged to the
agency.
Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, had said the
money belong to the state government, alleging that
they were kept by Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of
the state.
Amaechi, however, denied the allegations.
The EFCC has already taken control of the Ikoyi
apartment allegedly purchased by Folashade Oke, wife
of the suspended NIA DG.
TheCable
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