Fourteen properties belonging to the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, have been seized by the presiding judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, on Wednesday.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo, granted an interim forfeiture of the governor’s properties in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates.
The properties are linked to the Kogi State Government.
The Judge also ordered the preservation of the sum of N400,000,000.00 (Four Hundred Million Naira) recovered from one Aminu Falala, which “is reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity and intended to be used for the acquisition of Plot No. 1224 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island Lagos.”
Justice Oweibo granted the order, following an ex parte application filed by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Adekunbi Mojibola, an investigating officer with the EFCC.
Moving the application today, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, stated that the properties, including “Hotel Apartment Community, Burj Khalifa lying, being and situate at, Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E.” were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity.
In his ruling on the application, Justice Oweibo granted the application, as prayed and directed the Commission to publish the interim order within 14 days for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The case was adjourned till 28 March, 2023.
