The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of the sums of $43m, £27,800 and N23m recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from an apartment in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.
The court, in a ruling by Justice Muslim Hassan, ordered that the funds be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Hassan has earlier adjourned until today, May 5, 2017, for anyone interested in the funds to show up in court, to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
At the hearing on the final judgment today, the judge made an order permanently forfeiting the funds to the Federal Government, noting that no one appeared to show cause why the sum should not be permanent to the government.
On April 11, 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) discovered the funds stashed in iron cabinets and “Ghana-must-go” bags in the apartment at 16 Osborne Road, Flat 7B Osborne Towers, Ikoyi Lagos.
The anti-graft agency then obtained an interim court order temporarily forfeiting the funds to the Federal Government.
Justice Hassan granted the interim order and given 14 days for anyone interested in the funds to appear before him to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The seized funds were claimed by the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayodele Oke. However, due to his inability to explain how the monies were warehoused at a private apartment using a company created by his wife and young son, Mr. Oke was suspended by
President Muhammadu Buhari and placed under probe. Also, Rivers state Governor Nyesome Wike claimed the money belonged to his state, claiming it was stolen by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, but surprisingly Governor Wike did not approach the court to take possession of the funds despite bragging openly that he will lay claims to the funds.