Court orders interim forfeiture of N228.4m linked to ex-gov Theodore Orji
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order for the interim freezing and forfeiture of ₦228,497,773.12 linked to former Abia State governor Theodore Orji.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the motion on allegations of money laundering.
Justice Emeka Nwite ruled on the ex-parte motion filed by EFCC counsel Fadila Yusuf. The court directed the EFCC to publish the order on its website and in the Daily Trust newspaper to notify any interested parties.
The court instructed that interested parties must appear and show cause within 14 days of the publication to challenge the forfeiture. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025, for a compliance report.
The EFCC’s motion, filed under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006, sought the forfeiture of funds held in a Keystone Bank account.
Theodore Orji, a two-term governor of Abia State, also served as a senator representing Abia Central before retiring from active politics.
The interim forfeiture order comes as part of ongoing investigations into alleged financial improprieties during Orji’s tenure as governor.
She also sought “an order authorising the commission to make publication of interim freezing/forfeiture order made by this honourable court on the EFCC website and Daily Trust Newspaper and the interested parties to show cause within 14 days of the publication of the order.”
The lawyer, in her five-ground argument, said the money described in the schedule was the subject matter of investigation by the EFCC and found in the possession of Effdee Nigeria Ltd.
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She said it was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
“Effdee Nigeria Ltd is alleged to have conspired with others to defraud Abia State Government to wit: conspiracy, abuse of office, obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering and diversion of public funds.
“Effdee Nigeria Ltd, in whose possession the monies were found, is reasonably suspected to have conspired with Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, the former Governor of Abia State, some officials in the former governor’s administration and his family members,” she said.
Yusuf said they were being investigated by EFCC for the allegations following intelligence report received by the commission against Orji.
According to her, there is need to preserve the monies pending investigation and/or prosecution.
Tahir Ahmed, a litigation officer with EFCC, said sometime between 2016 and 2017, the commission received an intelligence report against Sen. Orji, some officials in his administration and his family members.
He averred that Effdee Nigeria Limited, a sewage and waste disposal entity, was used by the former governor, some officials in his administration and his family members for the diversion and laundering of Abia Government funds while Orji was in office.
He said the team commenced investigation into the case which led to the arrest of Austin Akuma, the Divisional Head of Keystone Bank Pic in Umuahia who was discovered to be the middleman between the contractor (Effdee Nigeria Limited) and Erondu Uchenna Erondu, Special Adviser, General Duties to the former governor.
He alleged that the banker, in a statement made upon words of caution at the EFCC office, stated that it was agreed between himself (Akuma) and Erondu that the contractor’s company, Effdee Nigeria Limited, would be used to receive funds from Abia State Government accounts.
“Thereafter the contractor would distribute these monies to several accounts of specific customers of the bank to be provided by the banker after which these various customers would withdraw cash and return same to the banker who in turn takes the cash to the Special Adviser in the Government House,” he alleged, attaching the statements made as Exhibit EFCC 1.
According to him, letters of investigation activities were also written to Keystone Bank and analysis of the statement of the above account of Effdee Nigeria Limited revealed substantial inflow from various agencies in Abia State Government leaving a balance of N228, 497, 773.12.
Ahmed, however, said that investigation was still ongoing concerning the allegations received against the suspects.
He said there was need to preserve the res to prevent the dissipation of the above-mentioned monies pending the conclusion of investigation and conclusion of the multifarious criminal complaints and ongoing investigations pertaining to the suspects.
After Yusuf moved the motion, Justice Nwite granted the prayers.
