The federal high court in Lagos has ordered the ultimate forfeiture of $16,500 and N127 million that were misappropriated from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) coffers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed an ex parte application seeking temporary forfeiture of the cash misappropriated from NIMASA.
The money were ordered to be forfeited in the interim on May 23, 2024, by Presiding Judge Kehinde Ogundare. Additionally, the EFCC was directed to publicize the fund information in national publications so that interested parties might offer arguments against the assets being forfeited to the federal government.
The EFCC said in its affidavit that money from NIMASA was misused through the intermediaries of a man named Uche Obilor, his businesses, and other friends.
According to the agency, “it is reasonably suspected that the funds sought to be forfeited are proceeds of unlawful acts of diversion of funds from the treasury of NIMASA, through Uche Obilor, his companies, and other cronies.”
“That the Commission was able to recover a total of $16,500 USD in cash during the course of the investigation, with a portion of the funds being diverted from NIMASA’s treasury.”
“And that Uche Obilor, upon invitation from the Commission during the course of the investigation, agreed to return the sum of N118 million, admittedly received and retained by his companies from the funds fraudulently converted from the treasury of NIMASA,” in addition to utilizing his companies as previously described.
The anti-graft agency’s attorney, Suleiman Suleiman, announced in court on Monday that the EFCC had retrieved N118 million and $16,500 in cash from Obilor and his businesses.
The EFCC lawyer stated, “In accordance with your lordship’s order dated May 23, 2024, the order was published on June 6, 2024 in the Punch newspaper.”
“The said application is supported by a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Oghare Ogbole, an investigator with the EFCC.
“We respectfully adopt the same and pray the court to grant all the reliefs sought.”
There was no interested party at the hearing.
After listening to the EFCC counsel, Ogundare granted the order sought by the anti-graft agency.
The funds were said to have been diverted under Patrick Akpobolokemi, then director-general of NIMASA, who was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
