Justice D.U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday granted the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for final forfeiture of the sum of N775,000,000.00, (Seven Hundred and Seventy-five Million Naira), and three properties in the nation’s capital belonging to a former Accountant General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla, and Colonel Bello Fadile, a former aide to former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
The money and properties were termed products of illicit activities.
The properties are located at No. 8 Ajay Crowther Street, Asokoro, Abuja; a Plot of land at Plot 1960 Cadastral Zone A05 Maitama District, FCT, Abuja; a Hotel which is under construction with generating set, located at Plot 621, Road 37, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja and a twin 4 bedroom duplex with guard quarters located at Plot 736, 7th Avenue Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja.
Moving a motion for the final forfeiture of the assets on Monday November 22, 2022, Counsel to the EFCC, Christopher Mshelia, informed the court that the assets recovered by the Commission in the course of investigating contract fraud in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Sambo Dasuki, were proceeds of the unlawful activities Colonel Bello Fadile and Mr. Jonah Otunla.
The N775, 000,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Seventy-five Million Naira) was refunded by Otunla and Otunba Ade Adelakun (late) during the investigation, whilst the landed properties sought to be forfeited are “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity received, retained, concealed and converted by the respondents from the office of the National Security Adviser to the President”.
The Commission had on July 20, 2020 secured an interim forfeiture order on the assets and also published the Order of the court on August 11, 2022, in Thisday Newspaper, for the respondent to show cause why the money and properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Okorowo in granting the final forfeiture, stated that the court was satisfied with the evidence before it and ordered the final forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.