Wetin we know about EFCC biggest seizure of alleged fraud property
Wia dis foto come from, EFCC/X
Many Nigerians shock wen di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tok say dem don make dia biggest single recovery of property wey one ogbonge goment pesin bin use alleged corruption money dey build.
Di property na 753 units of duplexes and oda apartments for di Lokogoma area of Abuja, Nigeria capital.
Na on Monday Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of di Federal Capital Territory High Court give di order for di final forfeiture of di property to di federal goment.
E rule say di property dey reasonably suspected to don dey acquired wit proceeds of unlawful activities, and dat di owner no show any evidencce to prove otherwise.
Di matter na still cause of big tok on top social media for Nigeria as pipo shock at di size of di property and dey wonder who di owner of be as di eFCC no mention di name.
Already tori don dey spread wit many pipo suggesting names of pipo wey dem think say na dem own di property.
EFCC tok-tok pesin, Dele Oyewale, no answer im call wen BBC Pidgin call am to clarify di identity of di alleged owner of di property.
Wia dis foto come from, EFFC
Wetin we know about dis seizure
- Di number of duplexes dey 753 units, on a big space of land wey measure up to 150,500 square metres
- Di location of di property na di Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja. Lokogoma district na one of di semi-highbrow areas for di FCT and price of properties for dia dey very high
- Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of di FCT High Court bin issue temporary forfeiture order for di property on November 1 dis year
- Di govment official wey allegedly build di estate still dey undergo investigation.
Di EFCC bin don make plenty high-profile seizures of property from top goment officials and in dos cases dem no hide di identity of di pipo involved.
For instance, in May 2021, former EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa tok say di commission bin recover more dan $153 million and ova 80 houses wey worth more dan $80 million from Diezani Alison-Madueke, di former Minister of Petroleum Resources during President Goodluck Jonathan Administration.
Also, in October 2022, di commission announce say one Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of di Federal High Court, Abuja, don order di final forfeiture of houses and luxury cars wey allegedly belong to di same Alison-Madueke .
Similarly, in 2016, di EFCC bin seize one 13-room duplex for di highbrow Maitama area of Abuja, wey allegedly belong to di former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh - now late.
Later in 2019, dem hand dat building ova to di North East Development Commission to use as dia liaison office according to di directive of den President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, e don get instances wia di EFCC no disclose di individuals behind a major seizure of alleged proceeds of corruption.
In April of 2017 di EFCC seize a pile of cash in dollars and naira from one apartment in Osborne Towers, for di Ikoyi area of Lagos, afta one whistleblower bin give dem information.
Di total money wey operatives of di agency bin find for dat house na $43.4 million, £27,800 and N23.2 million.
For dat incident, di commission no mention di name of di owner of di apartment.
Wia dis foto come from, EFCC
How Nigerians react
Many pipo wey don react to dis development on social media criticise di EFCC for not including di name of di individual wey ellegedly get di property.
Di commission dey usually publish names and sometimes pictures of suspects wey dem arrest on suspicion of fraud, or di ones wey dem don secure dia conviction for court.
One pesin wey im X username na Olaudah Equiano post say: "Who be dis former govment official, abi e dey above di law? If na small, so-called Yahoo boys, una go hang slate for dia neck like condemned criminals."
Anoda X user, Dipo Awojide point out say "full disclosure dey needed to build trust. Una suppose include di name of di individual".
