The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reported its largest asset recovery since its inception in 2003, following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
The forfeited property, located in Lokogoma District, Abuja, spans 150,500 square meters and includes 753 duplexes and other apartments.
The court’s decision, delivered on December 2, 2024, confirmed that the estate belonged to a former top government official who is currently under investigation. The EFCC had previously secured an interim forfeiture order for the property on November 1, 2024.
In a statement, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale emphasized that the forfeiture aligns with the agency’s mandate to prevent corrupt individuals from benefiting from their unlawful activities.
He said, “Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, on Monday, December 2, 2024, gave a ruling on a final forfeiture of an estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.
This is the single largest asset recovery by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission since its inception in 2023. The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
“The forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government by a former top brass of the government was pursuant to EFCC’s mandate and policy directive of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities.”
Also, Oyewale stated that the commission based its case for the final forfeiture of the estate in Abuja on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, as well as Section 44 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
In his ruling, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie determined that the respondent failed to provide sufficient justification for retaining ownership of the property, which was suspected to have been acquired through unlawful activities.
Oyewale noted that this landmark decision reinforces the EFCC’s commitment to depriving individuals of the proceeds of crime.
