Court orders interim forfeiture of N725m, Banana Island property linked to ex-NIMASA DG, Akpobolokemi

Glory Ebomah

Justice Tijani Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of the sum of N725,345,897.77 and property situated at Plot J 37A 218 Close, 2nd Avenue, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos linked to Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

The Judge gave the order, following a motion ex parte filed and argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Moving the application on Monday, April 3, 2023, counsel to the EFCC, Bilikisu Buhari, submitted that the money was “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity.”

Buhari also argued that the property was “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of an unlawful activity.”

The EFCC counsel further prayed for an order directing the EFCC to publish the interim Order in a national newspaper to enable anyone interested in the properties sought to be forfeited to appear before the court to show cause, within 14 days, “why the final order of forfeiture of the said properties should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

Justice Ringim, in granting the application held that “I find merit in this statutory application and same is granted as prayed.”