22nd June, 2022
By Taiye Agbaje
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered a temporary forfeiture of a N90 million worth property linked to Abubakar Dasuki, son of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to the Federal Government.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanrewaju Adeola, and moved an ex-parte motion to effect.
Earlier while moving the motion, Adeola informed that the ex-parte, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/589/2022 dated April 26, was filed on April 29.
He said the ex-parte originating summon motion was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and the inherent powers of the court.
According to the four grounds given by the EFCC why the reliefs should be granted, the commission said: “The property as contained in the schedule in respect of which the reliefs are sought is the subject of investigation and is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
“The person under investigation and in whose possession the property was found had agreed to forfeit it to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” among others.
In the affidavit deposed to by Chidi Nweke, a superintendent of the EFCC, the anti-graft agency said sometime in November 2015, it received an intelligence report from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), alleging payments of huge sums of money to individuals and companies by the past NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Meanwhile, EFCC alleged that the money was paid from the accounts of the ONSA between 2012 and 2015 purportedly for a contract awarded to the beneficiaries in which there were no records of any contract.
It averred that its Special Investigation Unit was directed to conduct an Inquiry into the intelligence report with a view to establishing the veracity of the report or otherwise.
Further investigation revealed that among other monies paid to individual accounts and companies’ accounts from the bank account of the ONSA, the sum of N90 million was paid to Brains and Hammers Ltd in Fidelity Bank.
EFCC said the letters of investigation activities were written to the suspect, Fidelity Bank, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and Brains and Hammers Ltd (Real Estate Developer), and a response received.
“That further to paragraph 9 above, one Daniel Amos; Director, Business Development, Commercial and Infrastructure with Brains and Hammers Ltd reported to the commission, and he volunteers a statement that ninety million naira was received in the Brains and Hammers Fidelity Bank account.
According to the anti-graft agency, the ONSA was the depositor for the purchase of a 7 Bedroom detached duplex with a basement and 2 Servant Rooms, at House No. D1064 at the Brains and Hammers Estate, Apo, Abuja in the name of Abubarkar Atiku Dasuki,” it said.
In the course of the investigation, the EFCC averred that a copy of the letter of provisional allocation of the property in the name of Abubarkar Atiku Dasuki was recovered.
It prayed the court to grant the relief in the interest of justice.
In his rulings, the trial judge granted the request and directed the EFCC to give a 14-day notice in a national daily and on its website for any interested person(s) to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Thereafter, he adjourned the matter until July 14 for a hearing.
NAN