A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has granted an order of interim forfeiture of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja, United Arab Emirates linked to relations of the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Nicholas Oweibo granted the order following an ex parte motion filed and argued by EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.
Oyedepo informed the judge that the properties, including the one in the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE, were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity.
Justice Oweibo also authorised the EFCC to confiscate the sum of N400million also linked to the state and recovered from one Aminu Falala.
Oyedepo further told the court that the N400m was reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity “and intended to be used for the acquisition of Plot No. 1224 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.”
The judge also directed the EFCC to publish the order within 14 days for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made permanently.
Bello, some officials of his government and his relations have been on the prying eyes of the anti-graft agency recently.
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that one Aliyu Bello and Dauda Suleiman – two nephews of the governor, were used to siphon N10.2billion from the state government accounts and were sent to prison custody after failing to meet their bail conditions.
Initial reports only identified Aliyu Bello as the governor’s nephew but sources told SaharaReporters that both Aliyu and Dauda are Bello’s nephews.
According to the sources, “These houses are to be tendered as evidence against them in the court. Yahaya Bello is still trying to influence the presidency to drop the case.”
