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Why we withheld identity of seized Abuja estate’s owner – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it withheld the identity of the owner of seized estate landed property with 753 units duplexes in Abuja.
Its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said it would be unprofessional to mention names of individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties.
Oyewale was responding to the criticisms that followed the EFCC record-breaking asset recovery of a 150,500-square-meter estate with 753 duplexes and other apartments in Abuja.
The EFCC had on Monday secured a judgment through Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, ordering final forfeiture of the property to the government.
It was alleged that the commission deliberately covered up the identity of the owners of the estate.
Oyewale explained that the company flagged by the EFCC investigations denied ownership of the estate located in Lokogoma District, Abuja.
According to him, the property was forfeited to the Federal Government after the successful court ruling on Dec 2.
Oyewale emphasized that the forfeiture was carried out in line with Nigerian law, specifically under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.
He said that the forfeiture proceeding was a civil action involving the estate, rather than targeting an individual directly.
“The allegation of a cover-up of the identity of the promoters of the Estate stands logic on the head.
“This, in the sense that the proceedings for the forfeiture of the Estate were in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act.
“This is a civil proceeding that allows for action-in-rem rather than action-in-personam.
“The latter allows legal actions against a property and not an individual, especially in a situation of unclaimed property.
“This Act allows you to take up a forfeiture proceeding against a chattel who is not a juristic person. This is exactly what the Commission did in respect of the estate.”
He said that the proceedings that yielded the final forfeiture of the Estate were products of actionable intelligence available to the Commission, adding that the company flagged by EFCC investigations denied ownership of the estate following publications made in leading national newspapers.
“On the basis of this, the Commission approached the court for an order of final forfeiture which Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court granted on Monday, Dec. 2.
“It will be unprofessional of the EFCC to go to town by mentioning names of individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to gear up more against lapses and loopholes in the system that continue to make the nation vulnerable to corrupt tendencies.
He urged critics to focus on the systemic issues that allowed such corrupt activities to occur in the first place.
“The expectation of the EFCC from citizens is a patriotic appreciation of its efforts in securing such landmark forfeiture,” he said. (NAN
A group of concerned citizens has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to sabotage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms on local refineries.
The group, Concerned Nigerians led by its National Coordinator Obinna Francis, claims to have uncovered a sinister plot to stop the supply of crude oil to domestic refineries.
According to Francis, the plot is being orchestrated by a cabal within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in collaboration with importers of fake petrol.
The group alleges that this cabal is seeking to undermine the government’s economic reforms, which have led to a significant reduction in fuel prices and a subsequent decrease in the cost of food items.
The concerned citizens believe that the plot is driven by a desire to return Nigeria to the era of petrol importation and the reintroduction of subsidies.
They argue that cutting off crude oil supply to domestic refineries would create a shortage of refined products, forcing the country to import fuel.
The group claims that the cabal has been manipulating officials in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to justify the planned refusal to supply crude oil to local refineries.
They also allege that the cabal has the support of individuals seeking regime change, who hope to capitalize on public anger and protests to bring down the government.
Francis added: “The members of the cabal, working through certain officials of NNPCL, have been manipulating their colleagues in the NUPRC, which has responsibility for overseeing the supply of crude oil to refineries in Nigeria.
“Their plot includes sabotaging exploration and distribution infrastructure to justify the planned refusal to cut off crude supplies. This unholy alliance has the support of individuals who have been angling for a regime change.
“Our suspicion is that while the NNPCL/NUPRC cabal pursue the monetary gains of truncating the steady supply of refined products, their political wing anticipates that a disruption in refining capacity would lead to petrol scarcity, drive fuel prices up and hike food prices with the attendant anger against the government of the day.
“They desire to weaponize such public anger into anti-government protests that would bring the administration down. We are concerned that if not stopped, this plot will undo all the gains that have been made in the implementation of economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government and doom us all.
“We are further concerned that such a plot at this critical time of our economic evolution would plunge the country into an abyss from which it may never resurface.”
The concerned citizens are calling on President Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS) to intervene and prevent the plot from being executed. They praised the president’s economic reforms, which have driven Nigeria towards energy sustainability and revived the oil industry.
The group warned that if the plot is not stopped, it would undo all the gains made by the government and plunge the country into economic chaos.
They urged the president to ensure that no one in NNPCL, NUPRC, or any other connected agency undermines the achievements recorded in the sector.
Actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot has become a hot topic online after a video surfaced showing his emotional reaction on Monday, shortly after Mojisola Meranda resigned as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Earlier, SPEARNEWS reported that Ms Meranda announced her resignation during a plenary session.
Following her resignation, the impeached Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, was reinstated to his former position.
In a viral video, Mr Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency 1 in the Assembly, was emotional over Ms Meranda’s resignation.
Dressed in a black native outfit, the 51-year-old attempted to deliver a farewell speech but was overcome with emotion and struggled to hold back tears.
At one point in the viral video, he found it difficult to continue speaking and requested that another lawmaker take the floor while he composed himself.
“Madam Speaker, can you allow others to speak first?” he asked.
Ms Meranda responded, “Have your seat,” prompting him to sit down, covering his face with one hand as he wiped away tears.
Seyi Lawal, an All Progressives Congress (APC) representative from Ikeja Constituency 1, was granted permission to speak in place of Mr Elliot, who has served in the House since April 2015.
Kano State government has made arrangements to feed 91,000 people in 91 designated centres during the 2025 Ramadan Feeding Programme.
Flagging off the feeding programme in m Fagge Local Government Area on Sunday evening, the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the programme, Alhaji Aminu Abdulsalam, said that that the initiative would run for 27 days.
He said that the programme was aimed at supporting vulnerable residents and would provide daily iftar meals to fasting Muslims, alleviating the challenges faced during Ramadan.
“Since the assumption of office, Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf, has institutionalised this initiative to support vulnerable residents by providing daily iftar meals during the holy month of Ramadan.
“The programme, which is part of the state’s annual humanitarian efforts, aims to alleviate the difficulties faced by fasting Muslims during Ramadan.
“Recognising the needs of the state’s large population of Ramadan observers, the Kano State Government remains committed to ensuring that relief reaches those in need,” he explained.
Abdulsalam expressed satisfaction with the seamless commencement of the initiative.
He further urged the catering companies involved to ensure prompt and efficient delivery of meals to all feeding centers, in order to achieve the programme’s objectives.
Abdulsalam was accompanied by key officials, including the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, as well as his counterpart in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Sheikh Tijjani Auwal. (NAN)