A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.5 billion linked to the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Aliyu Abatti Abdulhameed.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, while ruling on an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), directed the publication of the order in any national newspaper to enable anybody with interest in the money to appear before the court to show cause within 14 days why the final forfeiture order should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The order was dated February 5, 2024 but cited by Daily Trust yesterday.
The EFCC brought the application against Abdulhameed, Dr Steve Olusegun Ogidan and their proxies and associates, both corporate bodies and individuals over the money recovered by the commission without conviction.
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Counsel to the EFCC, G.I. Ndeh Esq, who moved the motion, said the court held that “Order is hereby made for the interim forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the sum of N1,582,000 (one billion, five hundred and eighty-two million) reasonably suspected to proceed unlawful activity recovered in the course of investigation from Dr Steve Olusegun Ogidan.
“Order is hereby made directing the publication in any national newspaper the interim order under relief 1 above for persons who have interest in the money sought to be forfeited to appear before this honourable court to show cause within 14 days why a final order of forfeiture of the funds mentioned in the relief 1 herein should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The case was adjourned to March 20 for hearing.
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