Court orders final forfeiture of 20 stolen cars from Canada

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of 20 cars stolen from Canada and shipped to Nigeria.

Deinde Dipeolu, the presiding judge, gave the order on Monday, following a motion on notice filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The stolen cars are to be forfeited to the federal government.

The forfeited cars are: Black colour SUV 400, White 4MATIC Mercedez Benz; SUV MDX SH-AWD Acura; Grey colour SUV RS 350L Lexus; Deep Blue SUV RX 350 Lexus, White Toyota 4Runner 2015; White 2020 model Lexus RX 350; White 2019 Lexus RX 350, Black 2020 Model Lexus RX350, and Black Honda Ridgeline 2017 Model.

Others are: White Lexus RX 350 SPORT 2019 Model; Grey Lexus RX 350 2019 Model; Grey Toyota 4Runner 2018 Model; White Lexus RX 350 FS Sport 2019 Model; White Toyota Highlander XLE AWD 2017 Model; Black Toyota Highlander 2020 Model; Black Toyota Highlander 2018 Model; Black Mercedez Benz G550 2019 Model; Red Lexus Rx 350 2016 Model and White Mercedez Benz GLA 250 2018 Model.

THE INTERIM FORFEITURE

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the court granted interim forfeiture of the stolen cars on May 27.

The presiding judge had directed the publication of the order in any national newspaper for interested persons to appear before the court to show cause why the cars should not be finally forfeited.

During the court proceedings on Monday, R.A. Abdulrasheed, the EFCC counsel, said the anti-graft agency had published the order of interim forfeiture in a national daily.

Abdulrasheed told the court that the application of forfeiture was supported with a 17-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Olufemi Olukini, an investigator with the EFCC, and a written address.

“An order of the court empowering the Canadian Deputy High Commission in Nigeria or any other officer so designated by the office, to dispose off the forfeited properties mentioned in the attached schedules 1-2 of this application either by sale or return to the victims, subject to remittance of the statutory two percent from the proceeds to the EFCC recovery account,” the EFCC counsel prayed.

THE AFFIDAVIT

In the affidavit, the EFCC said the officials of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCM) passed the intelligence on the stolen cars during a meeting with operatives of the anti-graft agency in April 2022.

“That over 350 vehicles, which were comprehensively listed out on an excel sheet with their respective vehicle identification Number (VIN), were stolen from various locations in Canada and shipped to Nigeria.

“That these vehicles have been sold and/or being sold on an online website www.ii.com by some online vendors/agents, while others are displayed for sale at various car stands across the country,” the affidavit reads.

“The cars are listed in a comprehensive excel sheet alongside some pictures and information on them. And that some of these vehicles are intercepted at the point of entry into Nigeria at Tincan Island port, Lagos.

“That our team commenced preliminary investigation into the case by identifying the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of each of the said stolen vehicles and subjecting them to analysis using Open Source Intelligence (OSINT).

“That preliminary results from the analysis revealed the vehicles were largely located across Lagos State metropolis, particularly Lekki at different car stands and places and the Nigerian ports pending clearance into the country.

“And that surveillance was, thereafter, carried out on the identified locations followed by sting operations which led to the physical location and identification of these vehicles.”

The anti-graft agency added that over 40 of the stolen vehicles were initially located, which led to a “similar application in suit no. FHC/L/CS/2051/2023 between Economic and Financial Crimes Commission V. Wilmon Autos Nigeria Limited & 177 Ors”.

The EFCC said the court ordered the final forfeiture of the stolen cars in the aforementioned suit on March 6.

“Soon after the above order was granted, the intelligence team further located the vehicles listed in schedule 1 and 2 of this application,which necessitated this present suit,” the anti-graft agency said.

“That the 13th to 20th respondents described in schedule 1 and 2 attached to this application were recovered as part of the stolen vehicles and shipped to Nigeria. And that the VIN of the vehicles corresponds with those of the stolen vehicles contained in the intelligence received from RCMP and no person has come forward to claim ownership of these vehicles.

“Investigation carried out revealed that the motor vehicles described aforesaid were stolen from Canada and shipped to Nigeria between March and June, 2022.

“And that most of these vehicles were insured and the insurance companies involved had indemnified the respective owners of the vehicles.

“That the insurance companies now stand in the position of the owners and delegated their interests to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police liaison officer with the Canadian Embassy in Nigeria to pursue their interests.”