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EFCC kicks over Emefiele’s bid to halt forfeiture of $2.4m, properties
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to dismiss a motion by the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, seeking to stop the forfeiture of properties and monies linked to him.
The court had on August 25, 2024 authorised the EFCC to temporarily take custody of the cash sum of $2.045 million, seven choice landed properties and shares linked to Emefiele.
At the resumption of proceedings on Friday, Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) urged Justice Deinde Dipeolu to stay further proceedings in the case pending the determination of the banker’s appeal.
“We’re urging your lordship to stay proceedings pending the hearing and determination of the Appeal Court in order to avoid judicial rascality,” Ojo said.
However, EFCC’s counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who appeared with Bilkisu Buhari-Bala and C.C. Okezie, opposed him, saying Emefiele had not filed any appeal.
According to him, no motion from Emefiele was taken and ruled on that crystallised to an appeal.
Oyedepo said: “My lord, how can the defendant in this case rush to the Court of Appeal because the (Federal High) Court returned the (case) file to the administrative judge for assignment, owing to the fact that the annual vacation of the court ends on the next adjourned date?
“I submit with due respect that the defendant just went to dump mere documents in registry of the Appeal Court. Therefore, I urge the court to hold that there is no appeal.
“Let us even assume there is an appeal, the question will be ‘has the leave of my lord been sought?’ The answer is no.
“My lord, I submit with respect that this appeal cannot stop the proceedings in this matter because the leave of the court was not sought, as the rule of court has made it mandatory when it is an appeal filed on the ground of mixed fact and law.
“I submit that there is no appeal against the decision of your lordship. In an interlocutory appeal, the application of the appellant must first be taken first by the lower court before going to the higher court.
“This party has not shown any exceptional circumstances that will warrant ant stay of proceedings.
“The purported appeal has no bearing in the final determination of this case.”
“Therefore, I urged the court to hold that there is no appeal and proceed with the hearing of pending applications.”
Justices Dipeolu adjourned ruling on the issue till October 11.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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