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Tag: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

  • EFCC to Nigerians: Offer confidential information on financial crimes

    EFCC to Nigerians: Offer confidential information on financial crimes

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has urged Nigerians to give confidential information on financial crimes and misappropriation going on in their areas.

    Mr Johnson Babalola, the Zonal Head of EFCC in South-East, made the plea at the EFCC and Stakeholders’ Walk Against Corruption in Enugu on Monday.

    The Enugu 12-kilometre citywide walk tagged; “Together Break the Corruption Chain’’, was to commemorate the World Anti-Corruption Day.

    December 9 was the World Anti-Corruption Day.

    Babalola, represented by his deputy, Mr Johnson Oshodi, said that the fight against corruption was an all-involving fight, where the commission needed the assistance of other stakeholders and members of the public.

    “We want Nigerians to blow the whistle through feeding the commission with timely and prompt information to nip corruption in the bud and punish its perpetrators anywhere in the country,’’ he said.

    Read also: Anti-corruption: U.S. pledges support for Nigeria,EFCC

    He described corruption as a global phenomenon, adding that its impact and endemic nature had been far-reaching in the country.

    He said that corruption had been crippling the nation’s economy and development.

    “The worst is that it is already stealing what should be left for our future, our children and our children-children and making many young Nigerians to lose hope in the economic system.

    “Every right-thinking Nigerian must stand up and join hands actively with the commission to check this monster and cankerworm,’’ he said.

    In his speech, the EFCC Head of Media, Mr Chris Oluka, lauded the massive turnout of people for the walk, especially corporate organisations that had been identifying with the commission and making its investigative work easy.

    “We are overwhelmed by this show of solidarity, especially the organisations that had been partnering with us in this fight before now,’’ he said.

    Also, Mr Hassan Mohammed, the Zonal Commissioner, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), assured the commission of ICPC’s continuous close working relationship and synergy in information sharing.

    “We will remain committed to the bond between our organisation and EFCC, and we will work together in more aspects of fighting corruption in the country,’’ Mohammed said.

    The Sector Commander of FRSC in Enugu State, Mr Edward Zamber, said that the agency would check all forms of corruption, especially on the highways.

    “In a bid to keep Nigerians safe on the roads, FRSC will ensure exemplary conduct always and shun all forms of inducement in the course of our duty,’’ Zamber, who was represented by Mr Hassan Lawal, said.

    The representative of Diamond Bank Plc, Mr Felix Ezimora, said that the bank would continue to follow the commission’s guidelines in its banking operations.

    “Diamond Bank is known for transparency and excellence; we assure you that we will keep to our good working relationship as well as openness to the commission,’’ Ezimora said.

    NAN

  • Recruitment scam: EFCC raises alarm

    Recruitment scam: EFCC raises alarm

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has raised alarm over alleged attempts by fraudsters to exploit its ongoing recruitment exercise.

    The EFCC spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Tuesday that the fraudsters were soliciting payment from unsuspecting job seekers to facilitate their employment into the commission.

    “This is a scam and members of the public are warned not to deal with anyone with such proposition as the agency does not collect money from job seekers.

    Read also: Saraki blames EFCC, others for FG’s inability to retrieve looted funds

    “Candidates that participated in the recent aptitude test by the commission should avoid falling prey to tricksters by shunning any promise of employment for a fee.

    “The employment process in the EFCC is open and transparent and cannot be compromised through bribery,” Uwujaren said.

    He advised members of the public to report anybody requesting for money for employment into the commission at the nearest EFCC office or police station.

    NAN

    Read: Navy apprehends recruitment fraudster

  • Maina: EFCC denies sharing 222 recovered pension properties

    Maina: EFCC denies sharing 222 recovered pension properties

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied allegations that 222 Pension Properties recovered from pension thieves had been shared under its watch.

    Senator Emmanuel Paulker, chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial reinstatement of wanted Abdulrasheed Maina, had on Thursday alleged that 222 houses recovered by Maina task force had been shared.

    But the anti-graft agency in a statement, by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren said that the supposed 222 pension properties didn’t exist and the recovered assets were intact.

    Read Also: Reps seek probe of Maina’s reinstatement

    He said, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to comments attributed to the Chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, alleging that officials of the Commission had shared 222 properties which Maina’s Panel seized from pension fund thieves”.

    “This sweeping allegation, coming from a Senate Committee is disturbing more so as no attempt was made to verify the information from the Commission. The EFCC was never invited by the Committee and given the opportunity to educate it on the status of assets seized from suspected pension thieves; yet the Committee was comfortable to scandalize the EFCC with the public disclosure of unverified claims by unknown interests”.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, there are no 222 properties anywhere that were shared by anybody. The EFCC did not receive a single property from Abdulrasheed Maina”.

    “All the pension fraud assets that are in the recovered assets inventory of the Commission were products of independent investigation by the EFCC, for which Maina and his cohorts had no clues. If Maina or any government official witnessed the sharing of any recovered pension assets by any official of the EFCC, they should be willing to name the official, the assets involved; when and where the ‘sharing’ took place”.

    “As far as the EFCC is concerned, there is no controversy regarding the status of assets recovered from suspected pension thieves. The record of all the recovered assets from both the Police Pension and the Pension Office of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation as well as their current status are intact, and have been communicated to the relevant organs of government”.

    “However, in view of the consistent display of public ignorance about the profile of recovered assets by even those who should know, it is important to state that it is impossible for anybody to share a property that is subject of interim forfeiture by court. Of all the properties seized from pension fraud suspects, it is only properties that are linked to John Yusuf, who was convicted under a plea bargain arrangement that had been forfeited permanently and handed to government”.

    “All the others, with the exception of Brifina Hotel, are subject of interim forfeiture. And the cases are ongoing in courts”.

  • SERAP to Buhari: End obstruction of justice by SSS, NIA

    SERAP to Buhari: End obstruction of justice by SSS, NIA

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Wednesday condemned the “face-off between officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), those of the State Security Service (SSS), and National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

    The Agency described the face-off as counter-productive to the fight against grand corruption”, and urged “the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently instruct the leadership of the SSS and NIA to allow anti-corruption agencies to carry out their mandate without any interference whatsoever.”

    In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, SERAP, Timothy Adewale the organization said that, “Preventing the arrest of a former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong; and a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke so that they are unavailable to answer the charges of corruption against them amounts to abuse of power and obstruction of justice. It is patently contrary to Nigerian law and international standards such as the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.

    The statement reads in part: “Nothing more fundamentally undermines public confidence in the fight against grand corruption and trust in government than to see state security agencies paid for by public funds apparently aiding and abetting those suspected of engaging in corruption to escape justice.

    “Obstructing the work of anti-corruption agencies is a textbook case of interference with the orderly administration of law and justice, which can send a particularly damaging message that the government may not be truly committed to the fight against corruption. This may, in turn, affect the government’s whistle-blower policy and discourage the public from coming forward and providing the authorities with useful evidence of grand corruption.

    “By moving speedily to stop this kind of behaviour by the SSS and NIA officials, Buhari would be making clear that under his watch those accused of grand corruption would not be allowed to circumvent the law no matter their status in the society.

    “Protecting suspected perpetrators from facing justice for corruption may suggest that officials of SSS and NIA are trying to cover up allegations of corruption against those involved.

    “Fighting corruption is not just for the EFCC alone or any corruption-specific mandate agencies, but it is for all state security officials and law enforcement agencies to cooperate and work together to support the government to achieve its oft-repeated commitment to combat grand corruption and impunity of perpetrators. Buhari must wade in to end this face-off if his government is to successfully stop the spread of corruption in the country and protect the integrity and authority of anti-corruption agencies.

    “According to reports, the EFCC officials tried to arrest the former head of the NIA, Ayo Oke, and former head of the SSS, Ita Ekpeyong, from their homes on Mamman Nasir Street in the Asokoro district of Abuja but were resisted by armed security agents of the two agencies.”

  • I did not buy any house from Maina – Falana

    I did not buy any house from Maina – Falana

    Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has said that he did not buy any house from the former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.

    He said on Tuesday in Lagos that there was no truth in the claims by Maina that he bought a PRTT recovered property from Maina.

    The senior lawyer challenged Maina to produce the details of the house that he purportedly bought from him. “Which house? Where is it located? Is it in Lagos or Abuja,” he asked.

    Maina, through his lawyer, Sani Katu, had in a statement issued in Kaduna on Monday alleged that the senior lawyer was a beneficiary of a recovered asset which was sold to him for N1 billion.

    According to him, “it was because the lawyer was a beneficiary of the recovered assets that he has resorted to attacking him, fearing that he would be exposed.

    He said, “during the assignment of the Maina Led Pension Reform Task Force Team, it recovered assets and funds worth N1.6trillion. Amongst the real Estates recovered from pension thieves is a Maitama mansion worth N1billion situated at No 42 Gana Street, Maitama Abuja.

    Recently, the lawyer has been vociferous in asking for Maina’s arrest and crucifixion, because he is afraid that Maina will expose him as a party to the stealing of what Maina Team recovered assets.

    He alleged that when eyebrows were raised on the transaction, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), then “arranged a fake scenario that one Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, owner of AA Oil, was said to have sold the mansion to Falana at N1billion.”

    But Falana, in his reaction to the issue on Tuesday contended that he did not buy any house from him, “does not know Maina and has never met him before.

    “Let him give details of the house. I have never met him or had any dealings with him before. He is engaging in the reckless blackmail because I criticized the careless handling of his matter by the federal government,” he maintained.

    How Oronsaye, Maina diverted pension funds, by EFCC
    •Maina

    Falana contended that some people in government must have conspired and prodded Maina to make the allegation in order to disparage his person because he advised President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast in imposing appropriate sanctions on government officials who allegedly conspired to bring back the former Chairman of the defunct PRTT back to the country and got the fugitive reinstated into the public service with promotion.

    Falana said he gave the advice in order to save the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption policy, whose credibility he alleged had been eroded by the Federal Government’s handling of the Maina scandal so far.

    To buttress his position, he recalled that at a time the State Security Services (SSS) declared Maina wanted and were looking for him, Maina was moving about with SSS officials assigned to provide him with security.

    Maina was sacked in 2013 after he was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption allegations involving about N2billion pension fund.

    Falana had in a statement, titled ‘President Buhari should act with dispatch on Mainagate’, on Sunday stated that the officials who aided Maina back to the country and paid the fugitive arrears of salaries and allowances totaling N22m “deliberately set out to subvert the anti-corruption policy of the Buhari administration”, adding, ““time is certainly not on the side of President Buhari!”

    He had asked the Buhari administration to sanction all officials who “conspired to expose the administration and the nation to such avoidable shame,” emphasizing that sanctions imposed on them by the President would make or break the administration’s “fight against corruption and impunity.”

    He noted that though the Federal Government has promised not to sweep the Mainagate under the carpet, the handling of the monumental scandal eroded the credibility of the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration.

    “Therefore, the sanctions which the Federal Government will mete out to all the officials who conspired to expose the administration and the nation to such avoidable shame will make or mar (sic) the fight against corruption and impunity which is the cornerstone of the domestic and foreign policy thrust of the administration,” he stated.

  • EFCC: Stakeholders defer on seven percent IGR retention, autonomous FIU

    EFCC: Stakeholders defer on seven percent IGR retention, autonomous FIU

    The Nigerian Law Reform Commission (NLRC) has kicked against the retention of seven percent of recovered assets or internally generated revenue (IGR) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    The NLRC also disapproved of a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) responsible to the EFCC, stating that an independent FIU devoid of the anti-graft agency’s supervision would serve the country better.
    The agency, as well as the Governors’ Forum, wanted the FIU domiciled within the EFCC despite the suspension of the country from the Egmont group due to interference from the anti-graft agency.
    Speaking at a public hearing on three bills on the amendment of EFCC Act on Tuesday, a Commissioner at the NLRC, Prof. Jumai Audi said the retention of seven percent from recovered property or income generated by the EFCC is unethical and capable of encouraging corruption within the agency.
    She said the anti-graft agency does not need additional fund to carry out its activities and should not be indulge with finds it does not need by government.
    She said: “EFCC does not need additional funding and does not need to retain any money or property they recovered. Their statutory allocating is enough.
    “Asking it to retain seven percent of its IGR or recovered property is morally wrong and illegal. EFCC can ask for supplementary budget if there is a need for it.
    “EFCC is not an income generating agency and it’s workers are duty bound to carry out their duties. If they are indulged with funds they don’t need, there is every likelihood that the workers will go in strike one day if they feel agerieved due to issue of funding”.
    On the independence of FIU, Audi said it was the undue interference from EFCC that led to the country’s suspension from the Egmont group.
    As a result, the NLRC opined that the unit should be separated from the EFCC and given the necessary support required to be effective.
    “We recommend the establishment of NFIU as an independent and autonomous body separate from EFCC rather than as a unit domiciled in EFCC as proposed in the bills.
    “Nigeria was suspended from the Egmont group for lack of autonomy in the real sense of the NFIU and this position has not been addressed.
    “The Egmont group requires that the FIU be independent and autonomous to guarantee its effectiveness in countering terrorist financing, money laundering and fighting corruption,” she added.
    However, the EFCC insisted that an autonomous FIU will not serve the purpose it was meant for.
    EFCC Secretary, Adegboyega Aremo said the FIU must be protected from politicians and the EFCC offers the most effective window to achieve that.
    “If you leave it to survive alone it will be endangered and exposed to danger.
    “In the entire universe only three tiny countries have autonomous FIUs and what Egmont group wants is for it to have autonomy within the EFCC,” he said.
    The Director General of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Ashishana Okauru aligned with the position of the House and the agency.
    Okauru, who was the first head of the unit at inception said, “As a foundation member of EFCC, I know what the Egmont group wants and it is autonomy within the EFCC.
    “It’s baffling that 10 years after we were registered by Egmont group we’ve been suspended and we stand to lose more if we are finally expelled from the group.
    “From Nigeria we may not be able to make scholarship payments and card monies may not be honored if we are finally expelled.
    “This is a subject we should dispense quickly because I remember that almost every agency opposed it when it first began.
    “I align with the position of the Committee, the FIU should be domiciled within the EFCC”.
    The Kayode Oladele – led Committee on Financial Crimes however noted that the retention of certain percentage of IGR is not new to government agencies.
    Saying that the case of EFCC should not be an exception, Oladele said the seven percent fund would not encourage corruption but enhance the execution of the primary duties of the anti-graft agency.
    He sais: “There is nothing strange for agencies to retain part of their igr to execute their mandates and we don’t think EFCC should be an exception.
    “Funding for anti-graft agencies is not an issue for now because we have a government that has the political will to fight corruption and that is why it is empowering them but what happens if a government that is not too keen on fighting corruption is in power?
    “This extra funding will not encourage corruption but encourage them to do more, just like this whistle blower policy that is now giving Nigerians the impetus to come forward.
    “Meanwhile, if it is agreed that the extra funding is not necessary then the House has no option than to remove it based on stakeholders decision”.
    On the need to amemd the EFCC Act, Oladele said most transactions now takes place on electronic platforms and place additional pressure on our anti-corruption agencies in understanding and smashing the sophisticated networks of unscrupulous elements in the society.
    “The House is conscious of the growing need of anti-graft agencies in a rapidly evolving information age.
    “It entails continous updating of their equipment and tools, regular re-training, as well as cross-border collaboration with other countries and bon-state entities.
    “It also entails that the operations of our anti-corruption agencies are in line with the rule of law and international best practices,” he added.
    Earlier while declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara explained why the exercise became imperative.
    Represented by the Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase, the Speaker  said, “No country can develop with the high level of corruption in Nigeria.
    “Despite various government efforts to enact laws to curb corruption it is fast threatening our culture in Nigeria but once these laws are passed it will clear some of these internal and external challenges”
  • Probe Okorocha over ‘statues of Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf’ – SERAP to ICPC

    Probe Okorocha over ‘statues of Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf’ – SERAP to ICPC

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has asked Dr Muhammad Isah Acting Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Professor Bolaji Owasanoye Acting Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to “jointly investigate allegations of incompatibility and/or apparent conflict of interest situation, and abuse of office involving Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State in connection with the exercise of his public functions and leadership of the Rochas Okorocha Foundation, and to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in any such investigation.”

    The organization said that “Such investigation would help to improve public confidence in public authorities, and minimize the risks of bad government by public officials.”

    In the petition dated 10 November 2017 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization expressed “serious concern that Governor Okorocha may have spent over N1 billion of public funds to build statues of South African President Jacob Zuma and Liberian President Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.”

    According to the organization, “the spending on statues and apparent misuse of public resources may have violated constitutional provisions and international standards on code of conduct for public officers. The initiatives cannot be justified under any circumstances whatsoever, especially at a time when Imo state is unable or unwilling to pay teachers’ salaries and pensioners’ entitlements.”

    The petition copied to Ibrahim Magu Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) read in part: “Inviting Zuma and Johnson-Sirleaf to attend the opening of his Foundation and then ‘honouring’ them with statues suggests abuse of office and apparent conflict of interest situation, as such acts were undertaken by Governor Okorocha in the exercise of his public functions to presumably promote and advance the commercial and other interests of the Foundation.

    “SERAP believes that rather than serving the common interest of the public, spending over N1 billion possibly of public funds on Zuma and Johnson-Sirleaf in the context of their participation in the opening of the Rochas Okorocha Foundation would seem to put Governor Okorocha in a conflict of interest situation.

    “SERAP notes that the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party prohibit conflict of interests and set ethical standards for public officers. Indeed, both the Constitution and the Convention require public officers to abstain from all acts that may compromise the exercise of their public office and functions, or are inconsistent with their entrusted positions.

    “Public officers also must discharge their public duties truthfully and faithfully, abide by the constitutional code of conduct, observe the primacy of public interest, and not allow their personal interest to influence their official conduct.”

    “The CCB and ICPC should carry out a joint investigation in collaboration with the EFCC of the allegations of conflict of interest, abuse of office and apparent misuse of public funds by Governor Okorocha. SERAP also urges the CCB and ICPC to prosecute Governor Okorocha after leaving office if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence of abuse of public office against him.

    “Conflict of interest represents a situation where the person exercising a public function has a personal interest of patrimonial or commercial nature, which could influence the objective fulfilment of the duties incumbent on public officers under the Constitution and international standards.

    “Conflict of interest arises from a situation in which a public official has a private interest which is such as to influence or appear to influence the impartial and objective nature of his or her official duties in order to promote private interests, which would be contrary to the public interest.

    “According to reports, Governor Okorocha recently hosted two African presidents—South African President Jacob Zuma and Liberian President Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and built statues in Owerri to ‘honour’ them. The statues reportedly cost over N1 billion to build. Further, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Zuma Foundation and the Rochas Foundation was signed, while Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf visited the newly established Rochas Foundation College of Africa (ROFOCA).”

  • World Bank: Two civil servants bag 105years for fraud

    World Bank: Two civil servants bag 105years for fraud

    An FCT High Court sitting in Jabi on Monday sentenced two civil servants, Mohammed Audu and Yusuf Ayodeji, to 105 years imprisonment, for fraudulent activities while handling a World Bank project.

    The convicts who were Procurement Officers in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in July 2016.

    Audu was docked on a 10-count charge while Ayodeji faced a five-count charge, both bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and awarding contracts to companies in which they had interests, among others.

    The convicts were brought pursuant to Section 26 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act 2000, punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.

    They were in charge of a World Bank project known as Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), an economic reform governance project.

    The judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, in his judgment, sentenced Audu to seven years imprisonment on each of the 10-count charges, amounting to 70 years.

    Halilu also sentenced Ayodeji to seven years each on each of the five-counts charge amounting to 35 years imprisonment.

    According to him, the convicts took advantage of their positions as procurement officers to perpetrate the criminal acts at the World Bank project.

  • $43.4m NIA cash: EFCC never said Whistlebower has been paid

    $43.4m NIA cash: EFCC never said Whistlebower has been paid

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday said it never claimed that the whistleblower, who uncovered $43.4million in Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, has been paid.

    It clarified that it is “not even directly responsible for the payment of rewards to whistle blowers.”

    The agency also insisted that there was no controversy about the exact amount recovered in the operation which was streamed live.

    The clarifications were made by the Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren in a statement in Abuja.

    The statement said: “Following publications in sections of the social media today, November 10, It has become necessary to clarify the statement credited to the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu regarding the status of the whistle blower in the Osborne Tower cash recovery. What Magu said at the 7th Session of the Council of State Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in Vienna, Austria, was that citizens should be encouraged to embrace whistle blowing because of the incentives attached.

    “To illustrate this, he stated that the the gentleman who provided the information that triggered the huge recovery at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi was already a millionaire based on the incentive in the whistle blower policy where information providers are entitled to between 2.5 and 5 % of the recovered sum.

    Hear him, “We are currently working on the young man because this is just a man who has not seen one million Naira of his own before. So he is under counseling on how to make good use of the money and also the security implication. We don’t want anything bad to happen to him after taking delivery of his entitlement. He is a national pride”.

    “Magu never said that the young man has been paid. The Commission is not even directly responsible for the payment of rewards to whistle blowers.

    “There is also no controversy about the exact amount recovered in the operation which was streamed live, the first of its kind, and witnessed by the whistle blower, security at the Towers and representative of the agency which claimed ownership of the money.”

  • Court orders interim forfeiture of Ikoyi property which `warehoused’ N200m

    Court orders interim forfeiture of Ikoyi property which `warehoused’ N200m

    Justice Saliu Saidu of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday ordered the temporary forfeiture to the Federal Government of Flat 7B, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    The property is said to have housed the sums of 43,000 dollars, 27,800 pounds, and N23 million.

    The sums were said to have been found in iron cabinets and “Ghana-Must-Go” bags in April.

    The judge issued the orders following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Before now, the anti-graft agency had mentioned the wife of the sacked Director-General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, Mrs Folashade Oke, as the owner of the flat.

    The commission had insisted that it found out that Mrs Oke made a cash payment of 1.6 million dollars for the purchase of the flat between Aug. 25 and Sept.3, 2015.

    The EFCC further argued that the woman allegedly purchased the property in the name of a company, Chobe Ventures Ltd, of which she and her son, were directors.

    Payments were said to have been made to Fine and Country Ltd.

    The anti-graft agency explained that Mrs Oke made the cash payment in tranches of 700,000 dollars, 650,000 dollars, and 353,700 dollars, to a subsidiary of a Bureau de Change — Sulah Petroleum and Gas Ltd.

    The company was said to have later converted the sums into N360 million and subsequently paid it to Fine and Country Ltd for the purchase of the property.

    The judge adjourned the case until Nov. 30 for any interested party to appear and show cause why the interim forfeiture should not be a permanent forfeiture.