The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made its largest recovery in history, securing the final forfeiture of an estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square meters and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.
According to the EFCC, the final forfeiture of the property was paved by an interim forfeiture order secured on November 1, 2024. The property, located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, was acquired by a former top government official through proceeds of corruption.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court ordered the final forfeiture of the property to the federal government, stating that the respondent had not shown cause why the property should not be forfeited. The EFCC relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006, and Section 44 (2) B of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to secure the final forfeiture.
The EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, emphasized the importance of asset recovery in the fight against corruption, stating that it is a major disincentive against the corrupt and the fraudulent. He noted that allowing individuals under investigation to access their illicit wealth enables them to undermine anti-corruption efforts.
The recovery of the asset represents a milestone in the EFCC’s operations and demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the anti-corruption war
