Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) application to seek the final forfeiture of two houses belonging to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki in Ilorin to the federal government, was struck out by a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday July 16.
The court on Thursday reversed its order of interim forfeiture of the Ilorin properties to the Federal Government.
Recall that the EFCC had obtained a court order for the interim forfeiture of the houses – Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State in December 2019.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.
Ruling on the case, Justice Rilwan Aikawa who stated that the evidence presented before the court was to the effect that the property was substantially financed with money paid to Saraki as a former governor, in line with the Kwara State Governor and Deputy Governor Payment of Pension Law, said EFCC’s claim of properties being acquired with illegal funds was based on mere suspicion.
The judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application and that he could not find his way through to grant the order of permanent forfeiture.