BREAKING: Court Orders Saraki to Forfeit Ilorin Houses to FG

Published December 2, 2019

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday secured an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos for the forfeiture of two houses in Ilorin, Kwara State belonging to a former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday ordered the temporary forfeiture to the Federal Government of the property of former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The property is located at Plots 10 and 11 Abdulkadir Road GRA Ilorin, Kwara.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa gave the order citing section 17 of the advance fee fraud and other related offenses act 14, 2006 and section 44(2) B of the 1999 Constitution.

The EFCC, represented by its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, had applied to the court requesting the temporary forfeiture of Saraki’s property.

The anti-graft agency told the court that it uncovered monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011 when Saraki was governor.

The court ruled that the forfeiture order should be published in a widely-circulated national daily to enable any interested party come to the court to show cause why the property should not be forfeited permanently to the Federal Government.

The judge adjourned the case until December 17.

The same court had in October ordered the temporary forfeiture of two properties belonging to Saraki in Ikoyi area of Lagos.

Monday’s ruling comes days after Saraki raised the alarm that the EFCC was trying to collect his homes, despite a court order barring it.

Saraki had earlier accused the Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC of being a willing tool for which hunt against opposition politicians.

The EFCC denied the claim, saying he had nothing to fear if he were innocent.