Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have sealed off different properties owned and acquired by a former Director of Accounts in the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Tahir Yusuf (Rtd).
Daily Trust reports that the properties located in both Zaria and Kaduna, sealed by last weekend and Wednesday respectively, were allegedly acquired with proceeds of N2bn fraud.
The properties, according to sources familiar with the matter, include Emerald Hotels and Suites; two uncompleted buildings, all located in Zaria and Kaduna as well as Bitmas Bakery Limited in Zaria.
“Yes, the properties have been sealed. He had been having a running battle with the EFCC,” a source told our correspondent last night.
The EFCC had earlier declared Yusuf wanted before he sneaked back into Nigeria through Niger Republic.
He had fled Nigeria to Dubai, UAE, in 2018 after he was accused of stealing N2bn belonging to the Nigeria Navy while serving.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in 2020 had ordered a permanent forfeiture of about N500m found to be fraudulently amassed by Yusuf, to the federal government.
The total amount of money forfeited, as ordered by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, was N392,695,857.87, including $91,955.38 and £15,050 held in domiciliary accounts.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, told Daily Trust that he had not been briefed on the development.
“I don’t have any information about that,” he simply said.