ICYMI: FIRS staff Garunbabba forfeits N104m properties to FG

Aminu Side Garunbabba, a staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, has forfeited landed properties worth over N104m to the Nigerian government.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, secured the interim forfeiture of the properties on February 16, 2022.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, granted the order while ruling on the application by counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

The Court directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in Thisday and Punch Newspapers, alerting anyone with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The respondent between 2017 and 2018, allegedly received the sum of N341, 971,950 (Three Hundred and Forty-One Million Nine Hundred and seventy-one Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty Naira) from the FIRS as Duty Tour Allowance for travels that were not made and diverted the proceeds to acquire the forfeited properties.

The properties include a four-bedroom Terrace Maisonette with BQ at Barumark Groove Estate, Plot 667 Cadastral Zone Bo3, Wuye District, Abuja purchased at the rate of N65,000,000.00 (Sixty Five Million Naira)

The other property bought for N39, 000,000.00 (Thirty-Nine Million Naira, is situated at No. 5 Lodge Road, Kano State.

Justice Egwatu adjourned till March 23, 2022, for consideration of the motion for final forfeiture of the properties.

Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity confirmed the development on Thursday.

.