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Abuja High Court Orders forfeiture of N8.8bn worth properties to FG
Abuja high court has granted an order of temporary forfeiture of 29 assets in different locations of the federal capital of Nigeria worth over N8.8billion to the Federal government.
PostNaija had learned that The Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Commission (ICPC) applied for the interim forfeiture of the properties through an ex-parte motion.
Meanwhile, 27 respondents were registered on the motion including Shehu Yaradua Foundation, while others are companies. The anti-craft agency counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, stated that the twenty-seven respondents had vehemently denied ownership of the properties, in order to evade tax charges on them.
“The immovable properties have been confirmed available by a preliminary investigation conducted by the applicant,” Akponimisingha said.
More so, he revealed that the properties were alleged to have been acquired with proceeds accrued from crimes. Akponimisingha also said the respondents may likely sell off the assets to unsuspecting members of the public if the court does not order the provisional forfeiture.
On the other hand, an affidavit earlier attached to the motion by one Iliya Markus, who is an official of ICPC, to the court was told that the anti-craft agency received a petition from the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC) about unclaimed assets allegedly acquired in the names of the respondents.
He also stated that the petition had contained an initial 31 fixed properties but upon publication of the advertisement on two national newspapers regarding the assets, only two companies came forward to claim two of the properties.
Consequently the presiding judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf said the court was pleased with the argument of the ICPC counsel. “An interim forfeiture order is hereby made,” Baba-Yusuf ruled.
In conclusion, the judge afterward fixed September 23 as the return date.
Modibbo Kawu, the DG of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has been put on suspension by President Buhari. This came following his corruption charges by the Independent Corrupt Practices, ICPC.
This development was confirmed by Armstrong Idachaba, NBC’s Director of Broadcast Monitoring. Further, the most senior director in the commission has been directed to take over from Modibbo Kawu.
Modibbo Kawu is currently facing a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering, abuse of office, and misleading a public officer with the intent of defrauding the government.
So, this contravenes Section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Act 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.
Beisdes, Modibbo was first arraigned in May 2019 over the alleged misappropriation of N 2.5 billion for the digital switch-over (DSO) program of the government.
The popular Mile 12 market in Lagos is currently engulfed in fire. This is coming barely seven days after a similar fire happened at another market in the Ajah area of Lagos
The fire at the Mile 12 market started in the early hours of Thursday 13th February. A report has it that the fire is still raging as the officials of the fire service are working to put out the fire.
Recall that the Mile 12 market is known for the sales of perishable items like fruits, vegetables and many more.
An early morning fire on Tuesday at the Atakumosa Central market in Ilesa, Osun State has destroyed several properties worth millions of Naira.
Information gathered revealed that the fire started around 1 am and continued for over two hours before it was put out at about 3:45 am by the efforts of the fire service in Osun State.
Besides, it was also discovered that the inferno started without knowing the cause and its intensity could not be contained by the initial set of people available.
Several shops were destroyed as it spread from one shop to another. Osun State Police PR, Folasade Odoro confirmed the incident and said the police deployed men to the scene to prevent looting of shops by miscreants.
However, she said the value of destruction cannot be ascertained but said many shops were razed by the fire.
