Court fixes Dec 5 to hear suit seeking final forfeiture of properties linked to Saraki

Justice Mohammed Liman, sitting at the Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday fixed December 5 to entertain arguments on whether or not two Ikoyi houses belonging to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government (FG).

At the resumed proceedings today, EFCC lawyer, Abdullahi Idris, told the judge that the order was published in The Nation newspaper as ordered by the judge.

The court had on October 21 ordered the temporary forfeiture of the houses, “lying and known as No. 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi,” to the Federal Government.

The judge ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publish the temporary forfeiture order in a national newspaper.

While adjourning the case till Thursday, he said anyone interested in the houses should appear before him to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the FG.

The EFCC had told the judge it reasonably suspected that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.

It alleged in a supporting affidavit that Saraki, who served two terms as Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011, “withdrew over N12bn cash from the account of the Kwara State Government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith Banks through one of his personal assistants, Abdul Adama, at different intervals.”