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Alleged Corruption: Court Orders Business Man To Forfeit 5 Houses To Federal Govt

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice A. I. Chikere has ordered a business man, Hima Abubakar to forfeit five houses he acquired through means considered to be inappropriate to the Federal Government.

The business man along with his company, Hima Aboubakar and Societe D’ Equipment International Nigeria Limited, will also forfeit a total sum of N46, 060, 373.84.

Abubakar and his firm, Societe D’ Equipment International Nigeria Limited, were dragged before the Federal High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on account of assets and properties acquired with suspected proceeds of unlawful activities.

In an application for the final forfeiture of the assets filed by EFCC counsels, Abba Muhammed and M. A Lamin, in Suit No: FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 507/ 2020, prayed that the assets be forfeited to the government.

Justice Chikere, after reviewing the requirements for the forfeiture, said: “the applicant has satisfied the condition for grant of reliefs sought and accordingly the reliefs sought are granted as prayed.”

He subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the properties and money to the government.

The five properties forfeited include: House Number 6, Ethiopia Close, Off Owena close, Maitama Abuja; Plot 3515, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja; Plot 3516, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja; Plot 3518, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja and Plot 3519, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja. Also, a total sum of N46 million found in the bank accounts of Mr Aboubakar and his firm, were also forfeited to the government.

The breakdown of the money include N1, 143, 314.50, found in the Zenith Bank Account Number 1013860768 of Societe D’ Equipment International Nigeria Limited (SEINL) and the sum of $66, 417.60 found in the Zenith Bank Account Number 5070345440 of SEINL. Others are: N5, 802, 925.03 in Aboubakar’s Zenith Bank Account Number: 1004540143, €15, 288.08 in Zenith Bank Account Number: 5080095319 and $17, 607.75 in his Zenith Bank Account Number: 5070410935. The sum of N 304,864,81 in Aboubakar’s First Bank Account Number: 3083229135 was also forfeited to the government.

Aboubakar’s troubles started when he was declared wanted by the EFCC in a case of criminal conspiracy, contract scam, misappropriation of public funds, money laundering and fraud to the tune of $394 million, €9.9 million and N369 million.

He allegedly received the funds for the purchase of equipment for the Nigerian military but investigations revealed discrepancies in the supply of the equipment.

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