Court quashes EFCC’s bid to takeover Kano businessman’s property

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has thwarted effort by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to forfeit landed property belonging to a Kano-based businessman, Alhaji Tanimu Abdullahi Inusa.  

The commission had, in a forfeiture application filed before the court in a suit marked FHC/KN/CS/91/2021, listed seven property in Kano and one in Kaduna for forfeiture. 

The commission listed Tanimu Abdullahi Inusa and his company Tasaf Merchandise Limited as respondents in the suit. 

But delivering judgement on the final forfeiture hearing on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice Abdullahi Liman, said the commission had not proven its allegations against the defendants and the identified property. 

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The commission had alleged that the identified property which include an event Centre in Kano, and duplexes located at Gidado Road, Lafiya Road, Hotoro GRA and Farm Centre areas, all in Kano, among others, were “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities”. 

In his judgment, delivered virtually, Justice Liman discharged the earlier order of interim forfeiture holding that none of the property were linked to any public officer or proceed of unlawful activity. 

Commenting on the judgement, counsel to Inusa and Tasaf Merchandise Limited, Sagir Gezawa, described the judgement as triumph of truth. 

“You may recall that the EFCC had filed forfeiture proceedings against several of our properties two at Gidado Road, one at Lafiya Road, one at Kundila/Hotoro GRA by Maiduguri Road, one at Audu Bako Way by Visa House, one at Civic Centre Road by Railway Station, one at Sharada FHA and one at Maiduguri Road by NNPC mega station all in Kano State.

“The court held that our client Tanimu Abdullahi Inusa and his company Tasaf General Merchandise Limited have established a history and reputation of lingering business activities. Consequently, all our properties are now discharged and released to us.”