The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of N2.2billion recovered from a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun made the order after listening to an ex-parte application brought before her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge held that “An interim order is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the total sum of N2,244,500,000 found and recovered by the commission from the first respondent (Amosu) which sum is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.”
The judge also granted an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of another N190,828,978.15 recovered from a former Nigeria Air Force Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo, and another N101 million recovered from Solomon Enterprises, a company linked to Amosu.
The EFCC told the judge that the various sums were “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.”
Justice Olatoregun also directed the EFCC to publish the interim order in two national dailies so that the respondents or anyone interested in the sums can show cause why a final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.
The judge then adjourned the case until June 29, 2018.
The two respondents, Amosu and Adigun were said to have, between July 17 and September 16, 2014, allegedly removed over N663.4million from the Nigerian Air Force accounts to among other things purchase properties at 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and at 93B Shirehall Park, LondonNW4 2QU, United Kingdom.
They were also accused of buying 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, with N900million, and another property worth N1.5bn at Sinari Daranijo street in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EFCC also said they bought a property named Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II Abuja, for N750million, as well as a property worth over N1.7billion at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi Lagos, using the airforce’s money.
Other properties they allegedly bought using Air Force’s funds include one at Salt Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja; one at Agadez Street off Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja; 61A, Lake Chad Street, Maitama, Abuja; and one at 1, River Street, Wuse II Abuja.
Between March 6 and April 30, the respondents allegedly used N428,139,539.00 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to renovate and purchase medical equipment for Solomon HealthCare Ltd situate at 24 Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos.
