Idris forfeits $899,900, N304.5m, a fraction of alleged N170b heist
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Suspended federal Accountant General Ahmed Idris has been ordered court to forfeit to Abuja $899,900, N304.5 million, and 15 properties from his alleged heist, based on charges preferred by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Idris and others are being prosecuted on 14 counts of stealing and money laundering worth N170 billion.
The 15 choice properties are in Abuja and Kano.
Justice M.A Hassan of the Abuja Federal High Court gave the order while ruling on a motion exparte filed by the EFCC which asked the court for an order of interim attachment/forfeiture of the properties.
EFCC operative Monyei Ekene requested the court in a supporting affidavit to grant, among others, an order
- approving the interim “management of the assets and properties in the schedule to this application to the applicant,” pending the determination of the substantive case;
- an order “to open an interest yielding account where monies realised from the management of the assets and properties of the persons stated in the Schedule to this application shall be paid,” pending the determination of the substantive case; and
- an order “freezing the bank accounts of the persons referred to as account holders/or the bank accounts set out in the Schedule to this application,” pending the hearing and determination of the substantive case.
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Forfeited properties
Hassan ordered the recovery account sought to be opened by the applicant “shall be in the name of the Commission as Recovery Account and the details of the Account shall be reported back to the Court within one week of opening.”
Per reporting by Vanguard, the properties linked to Idris listed in the schedule for forfeiture include
- Kano City Mall/Al Ikhlas Shopping Mall at Mandwawarti, Kano
- A one-storey shopping Complex at Ladanai, Kano
- Corner shops at Ladanai, Kano
- A duplex at Karsana, Abuja
- Royal Duplex at Deneji Quarters, Kano
- A duplex at Plot 271, New Jersey Street, Efab Blue Fountain Estate, Abuja
The court also ordered nine properties linked to the second respondent, Mohammed Kudu Usman, which are located in Abuja, Niger, and Nasarawa, to be forfeited in the interim.
They include
Plots of land with shops in Chanchaga Council in Niger
- A 37-hectares of farmland with livestock located along Minna-Bida Road in Niger
- Bungalow flats at Gwarimpa, Abuja,
- Bungalow Buildings at Masaka in Nasarawa
- Plots of land at Dutse Alhaji Abuja and
- 13 plots of land at Integrated City, Minna in Niger.
