A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered the forfeiture of two properties in Ikoyi belonging to former Senate President and ex-governor of Kwara state, Bukola Saraki.
Justice Mohammed Liman made the temporary forfeiture order following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The EFCC said the landed property “lying and known as No. 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi,” was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.
It alleged in a supporting affidavit that Saraki, who served two terms as Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011, “withdrew over N12bn cash from the account of the Kwara State Government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith Banks through one of his personal assistants, Abdul Adama, at different intervals.”
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The EFCC lawyer, Nnaemeka Omewa, said the court was empowered to order the temporary forfeiture of the landed asset to the Federal Government.
Justice Liman agreed with him.
After ordering the temporary forfeiture of the property, the judge directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper.
He gave 14 days for Saraki or anyone interested in the property to appear before him to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
