EFCC Secures Largest Asset Recovery with Forfeiture of Massive Abuja Estate.

Written on 02/12/2024
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has achieved its largest recovery since its establishment in 2003. On Monday, December 2, 2024, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ordered the final forfeiture of a sprawling estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square meters.

The estate, located on Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, consists of 753 duplexes and apartments.

The EFCC, in a statement, described this as a historic milestone in its fight against corruption and asset recovery efforts.



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. In this instance, the Commission 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 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to push its case.

“Ruling on the Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent has not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property, ‘which has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities, the property is hereby finally forfeited to the federal government.'”

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