The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on 14 February, 2022, secured the final forfeiture of 20 (twenty) landed properties valued at over N3, 007, 000, 000 (Three Billion and Seven Million Naira) belonging to a top military officer but controlled through proxies including late General Aminu Maude, and companies such as Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics and Atlasfield Gas Plant Limited.
Justice N. E Maha of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, granted the Order while ruling on the application by counsel to the EFCC, Cosmos Ugwu and Musa Isah.
The Court had in May, 2020 ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties following an ex parte application by the Commission, alleging that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court, having considered the application vis-a-vis Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, more particularly sub-sections 1 and 3 thereof, granted the prayers of the Commission for an interim forfeiture and directed the publication of notices, alerting anyone with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In the absence of any contestation, the court today ordered the final forfeiture of the properties.
The forfeited properties, situated on lands valued at over N3, 007, 000, 000 (Three Billion and Seven Million Naira) are located in different parts of Kano, Katsina, Calabar (Cross River State) and Kaduna. They included Fuel Stations, Event Centers, Plazas, Block Industries, Truck Assembly Plant, Polythene Production factory and table water factory.
Some of the properties include undeveloped plot located at Rake, Adjacent to Dara Orthopedic Hospital, Kano valued at N300, 000, 000 (Three Hundred Million Naira); 117 hectares of land located at Adiabo, Oduapani L,G covered by Certificated of Occupancy No. OD/23/2011 dated 21/2/ 2011 in Calabar, Cross River State, valued at N386, 000, 000 (Three Hundred and Eighty Six Million Naira); Truck Assembly at Ring Road, adjacent to AA Affa Filling Station, Kano, valued at N206, 000, 000 (Two Hundred and Six million Naira) and Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdulahi Road Farm Centre, Kano valued at N250, 000, 000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million naira).
▪︎ By Wilson Uwujaren, Head, media and Publicity, EFCCRevealed: N10.9Bn Properties Seized From Military Officer
Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court on Monday February 14, ordered the final forfeiture of 24 properties held by fronts and proxies to a top military officer, to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Order was pursuant to a forfeiture application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which had in May 2020 secured the forfeiture of the properties on interim basis.
The court had ordered the publication of notices in national newspapers, inviting persons with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
With no such interest shown by any entity, Justice Maha on Monday, February 14, 2022, ordered the final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The 24 properties scattered across Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River States, comprise land, shopping complex, gas station and fuel stations cumulatively valued at N10, 935,000,000.00. (Ten Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira)
The properties are:
1. A 16 Pump filling Station located at Rijiyar Lemo, Kano.
2. A Filling Station with 41 pumps located opposite Federal Secretariat, Kano.
3. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along BUK Road, Kano.
4. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Zaria Bypass, Kano.
5. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.
6. A Filling Station with 29 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.
7. A Filling Station with 23 pumps located along Naibawa , Kano.
8. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along Bachirawa, Kano.
9. A Filling Station with 51 pumps and a one-storey building with 35 shops attached to the Filling Station located along Shiek Ja’afar Road Dorayi, Kano.
10. An LPG plant with 30 shops attached to it located along Zaria Road, Kano.
11. Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdullahi Road, Farm Centre, Kano.
12. A three storey building (Plaza) With 28 shops located on Hadeja Road, next to Sheshe Supermarket , Kano.
13. A three-storey building (Plaza) with 126 shops located on Audu Bako Way, Opposite Nation Plaza, Kano.
14. Classic Block Industry at Maiduguri Road, Kano.
15. Atlasfield Corporate Headquarters, No. L6 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna.
16. Undeveloped plot located at Sharada, Adjacent A.A. Rano Filling Station, Kano.
17. Undeveloped plot located at Yan Rake, Adjacent Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano.
18. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, Adjacent Kedco Regional Office, Kano North/Opposite Silver Spoon Restaurant, Kano.
19. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, opposite Markaz Mosque, Kano.
20. Undeveloped plot located on Sani Marshal Road, Opposite Nissan Automobile, Kano.
21. 11.7 hectares located Adjacent TINAPA Resort, Adiabo, Calabar. 22. Truck Assembly Plant, Easter Bypass, Kano.
23. Event Center located in Calabar, Cross River State.
24. Aflac Plastics Limited located behind National Eye Center, Kaduna.
Some of the forfeited assets:
▪︎ Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media & Publicity, EFCC
