Nigerian Ex-governor Begins Battle To Vacate Forfeiture Order

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday adjourned till March 18 hearing in an application filed by former Gov. Lucky Igbinedion of Edo seeking to set aside an order of forfeiture of his property.

Mr Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the respondent in the application – EFCC -  told Justice Mohammed Idris in Lagos that he had just been served the application and needed time to file a counter-affidavit.

“We will be opposing the application,  so we ask the court for a short adjournment to file our counter-affidavit,’’ he said.

Igbinedion’s counsel, Mr Rickey Tarfa (SAN), said he had no objections to the request for an adjournment.

Idris consequently adjourned the case, and ordered that all processes be filed and served before March 18.

The EFCC had on Feb. 18 obtained an ex-parte order of the court to seize about 11 property of Igbinedion over an alleged N3.2 billion fraud.The commission alleged that the former governor diverted to his personal use, Edo’s shares in Afribank, valued at $6.2 million, as well as the state’s shares in Access Bank, worth $775,000.

The seized property were said to be located in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and London.  They were allegedly acquired by the former governor during his eight-year rule in Edo.

Igbinedion had through his counsel filed the application, arguing that the EFCC concealed material facts relating to the matter.

He also submitted that the ex-parte order infringed on his right to fair hearing, adding that it was an abuse of court processes.