Olajengbesi: Forfeited Abuja duplexes should be given to civil servants, doctors

Pelumi Olajengbesi, an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, says the federal government should hand over the forfeited estate secured by the anti-graft agency to deserving civil servants.

On Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the final forfeiture of an estate located in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the recovery was the agency’s largest since its inception in 2003.

The estate sits on 150,500 square metres and contains 753 units of duplexes.

The individual who forfeited the property was not mentioned, but Oyewale said it belonged to a “former top brass of the government”.

Olajengbesi described the feat as a milestone in “asset recovery”, adding that the EFCC’s intelligence gathering and diligent prosecution are “most admirable”.

The human rights lawyer added that forfeited properties should be completed and allocated to deserving doctors to boost morale.

“This is a boost for the fight against corruption and asset recovery which is a fulcrum for Nigeria’s anti-graft war,” Olajengbesi said.

“The intelligence gathering and diligent prosecution of the EFCC team is most admirable.

“This successful final forfeiture sends a message to corrupt politicians and their cronies diverting public funds to amass wealth for themselves.

“The EFCC should not auction off the forfeited properties but complete them and hand them over to doctors and other deserving civil servants to encourage them in their service to humanity.”