The Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered the temporary seizure of nine properties linked to a former Bayelsa State governor and minister of state for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylvia, to the federal government.
The order was made by Justice Obiora Egwuatu after an ex-parte motion brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe.
The judge said: “It is ordered that:
“An interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting the properties listed in the schedule attached herein being properties suspected to be proceeds of some unlawful activities pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order of the said properties.
“It is hereby ordered as follows: An interim order made under order (1) above shall be published for the information of any person interested in the property to appear before this honourable court and show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture shall not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Egwuatu also approved the prayer of the EFCC for the publishing of the order within 7 days of receipt of the certified true copy of the ruling.
The matter was later deferred by the judge to May 25 for report of compliance, NAN reports.
The application was submitted by the Commission pursuant to the terms of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, in the litigation marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/607/2026.
Atolagbe moved the motion seeking an interim order forfeiting the properties to the federal government until the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order of the said properties.
“They are suspected to be proceeds of some illegal activities,” he stated.
The lawyer urged the court to direct the anti-graft agency to publish the order in any national newspaper for any interested person in the properties to show cause within 14 days why the ultimate decision of forfeiture should not be granted in favour of the federal government.
The assets are situated in high value regions inside Abuja.
They comprise four blocks of terraces at Dakibiyu; a duplex with penthouse and office complex at No. 3, Niger Street, MStreet; one solo duplone at Villa 1, Unit 1, Palm Springs Estate, Mpape; and block of flats with 10 unit of flats at No. 8, Sefadu Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Others are: Block of apartments with six units of flats at No. 1, Mubi Close, Garki, Abuja; two blocks with 12 units of flats at Plot 1181, Thaba Tseka Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja; one solo duplex at No. 18, Nile Lake, Plot 1271, Maitama Abuja,
The ninth property is a two-block structure occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency, located at No. 5, Aguta Street, Garki, Abuja.
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