A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine properties allegedly linked to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The order was granted on Tuesday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was moved before the court by EFCC counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu held that the properties, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, should be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government pending the determination of a motion for final forfeiture.
“An interim order of this honourable court is made forfeiting the properties being properties suspected to be proceeds of some unlawful activities pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order,” the judge ruled.
The court also directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper, inviting any interested party to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Egwuatu further ordered that the publication must be made within seven days of receiving the enrolled court order. The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 25 for a compliance report.
According to the EFCC, the application was brought pursuant to provisions of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, with the agency maintaining that the properties are suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means.
The affected properties are located in several highbrow areas of Abuja, including Dakibiyu, Mpape, Wuse, Garki and Maitama. Among them are terrace duplexes, luxury apartments, office spaces, and blocks of flats.
One of the properties, located in Garki, is reportedly occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
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