A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday ordered the forfeiture of two houses in Ilorin, Kwara State, belonging to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to the Federal Government.
The two properties are designated as Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Justice Rilwan Aikawa gave the order citing section 17 of the advance fee fraud and other related offences act 14, 2006 and section 44(2)B of the 1999 Constitution.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, had applied to the court requesting the temporary forfeiture of Saraki’s property.
The agency told the court that it uncovered monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011 when Saraki was governor.
Mr. Olamide Sadiq, an operative of the EFCC, said in an affidavit filed in support of the ex-parte application that the move for the forfeiture of the houses followed the findings of the EFCC after investigation and “the report of a committee set up to review sales of Kwara State Government properties during the reign of the Governor of Kwara State in the year 2003 and 2011.”
He said the EFCC also received “a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011.”
Sadiq said, “Whilst the investigation was ongoing several fraudulent transactions were discovered.
“I know for a fact and verily believe that our investigation has revealed the following mind-boggling findings, among others: “That between 2003 and 2011, Dr Olubukola Abubakar Saraki was the Executive Governor of Kwara State.
“That whilst he held the aforementioned position, the common pattern was that after payment of monthly allocation by the Federal Government to the Kwara State Government, a cumulative sum of not less than N100m will be deposited into the Kwara Government House account.
“That upon the payment of the said N100m, same will, in turn, be withdrawn in cash by one Mr Afeez Yusuf from the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin’s account in bits and brought to the Government House.”
The EFCC said it believed that Saraki developed the two properties with proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court ruled that the forfeiture order should be published in a widely-circulated national daily to enable any interested party come to the court to show cause why the property should not be forfeited permanently to the Federal Government.
The judge adjourned the case until December 17.