By Editor
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has fixed April 30, 2026, for ruling on an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the final forfeiture of a property linked to a former Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku.
The ruling date was announced on Tuesday following arguments for and against the Commission’s application for final forfeiture of the property, which the EFCC alleges was acquired with proceeds of crime.
According to a statement by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, defence counsel, N.I. Quakers, SAN, informed the court of two pending applications filed on behalf of the respondent. These include an application seeking to set aside the interim forfeiture order granted by the court on January 27, 2025, as well as a notice of preliminary objection dated August 15, 2025, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Quakers urged the court to discountenance the EFCC’s final forfeiture application, arguing that the property in question is part of the subject matter of a criminal case currently pending against his client before another court. He maintained that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the forfeiture proceedings and consequently prayed the court to set aside the Commission’s application.
In his response, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, drew the court’s attention to a motion dated May 6, 2024, and filed the same day, seeking a final forfeiture order over the property. He told the court that the asset is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
Iheanacho explained that the application is supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, Chinyelu Vivian Okpara, with documentary exhibits marked EFCC 1 to EFCC 7 attached. Relying on the affidavit and its exhibits, the prosecution urged the court to grant the application.
The prosecution further disclosed that at the time of the transactions in question, Nwabuoku was serving as Director of Finance at the Ministry of Defence, and funds released strictly for military operations against Boko Haram were allegedly diverted through fictitious accounts.
According to Iheanacho, about N900 million was siphoned through such accounts, out of which approximately N355 million was traced to the respondent and paid into an account he nominated, belonging to M. Davies Enterprises Limited, a company said to be owned by his associate. He added that it was from this account that the disputed property was purchased and that the respondent currently resides in the property.
The prosecution also told the court that during the course of investigation, Nwabuoku voluntarily handed over the keys to the house and refunded part of the funds, but later turned around to challenge the forfeiture proceedings.
Iheanacho further informed the court that an additional affidavit was filed on May 16, 2024, in support of the application and again urged the court to grant the final forfeiture order.
After listening to both parties, Justice Umar adjourned the matter until April 30, 2026, for ruling on the applications and judgment.
Meanwhile, the EFCC is separately prosecuting Nwabuoku before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended nine-count charge of money laundering involving the sum of N868,465,000.
