Court orders final forfeiture of Ikoyi cash

A federal high court sitting in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of the discovered sums of money in an Ikoyi apartment to the federal government.

Muslim Hassan, the presiding judge, ordered the final forfeiture of the monies – $43m, £27, 000 and NN23m after they were temporary forfeited to the government.

In April, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)discovered the sums, following a tip-off from a whistle-blower.

The court had earlier ordered an interim forfeiture of the monies following an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC.

Hassan held that the monies were suspected proceeds of criminal activity consistent with the claims of the anti-graft agency.

He also pointed to the fact that no one showed up in court to claim the controversial amounts of money, gave credence to the claim of the EFCC.

Since the discovery by the security agency, there have been controversies following the ownership of the monies as all those linked to it or the apartment had denied any existing link.

The discovery had also led to the suspension of Ayodele Oke, director-general (DG) of National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Oke had claimed that the monies belonged to the agency.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, had said the money belong to the state government, alleging that they were kept by Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of the state.

Amaechi, however, denied the allegations.

The EFCC has already taken control of the Ikoyi apartment allegedly purchased by Folashade Oke, wife of the suspended NIA DG.