A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine properties linked to Timipre Sylvia, former minister of state for petroleum resources, to the federal government.
Obiora Egwuatu, presiding judge, made the order on April 24
following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC).
“An interim order of this honourable court is made
forfeiting the properties listed in the schedule attached herein being
properties suspected to be proceeds of some unlawful activities pending the
publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order of
the said properties,” the judge ruled.
“An order of this honourable court is made directing the
publication of the interim order under order (1) above for anyone who is
interested in the property to appear before this honourable court to show cause
within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour
of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The judge also granted the EFCC’s request for the order to
be published in two national newspapers within seven days of receiving the
certified true copy of the ruling.
The newspapers listed by the court include ThisDay, The
Guardian, Punch, Vanguard, Tribune and Independent.
Egwuatu subsequently adjourned the matter to May 25 for a
report of compliance.
The EFCC had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/607/2026 under
the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
While moving the motion, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, counsel to the
anti-graft agency, urged the court to grant an interim forfeiture order on the
grounds that the properties were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful
activities.
The affected properties are located in high-value areas of
Abuja.
They include four blocks of terraces in Dakibiyu; a duplex
with a penthouse and office complex at No. 3 Niger street, M street; a
standalone duplex at Villa 1, Unit 1, Palm Springs estate, Mpape; and a block
of 10 flats at No. 8 Sefadu street, Wuse Zone 4.
Others are a six-unit block of flats at No. 1 Mubi close,
Garki; two blocks containing 12 flats at Plot 1181, Thaba Tseka crescent, Wuse
II; and a standalone duplex at No. 18 Nile Lake, Plot 1271, Maitama.
The ninth property is a two-block building located at No. 5
Aguta street, Garki, Abuja, currently occupied by the National Information
Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Sylva, who is currently at large is named in a 13-count
charge filed by the federal government over allegations of a plot oust
President Bola Tinubu.
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