A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to Ike Ekweremadu, the troubled former Deputy Senate President who is currently in detention in the United Kingdom.
The order was issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo in response to an ex-parte motion filed and brought by Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Judge directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily within seven days of granting the order.
Senetor Ike Ekweremadu In Double Trouble
He specifically requested that anyone with an interest in the forfeited property explain why the assets should not be permanently forfeited within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order.
In the event that any members of the public objected to the said properties, Justice Ekwo adjourned the case to December 5, 2022 for a report.
The interim forfeiture order includes ten properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the United Kingdom, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and fifteen in the Federal Capital Territory.
The former Deputy Senate President and his wife are currently on trial in the United Kingdom for alleged organ harvesting, which is unrelated to the aforementioned properties.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has slammed the EFCC’s action, which resulted in an interim asset forfeiture order granted by a Federal High Court in Abuja against former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Lawyer Requests Ekweremadu’s Senatorial Seat Be Declared Vacant
HURIWA Group Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said in a statement on Friday that the asset forfeiture lawsuit was malicious, immoral, and in bad faith, and amounted to a country throwing its citizen under the bus while Ekweremadu was in custody, facing trial in the United Kingdom, and unable to defend himself or properly brief his lawyers.
His criticism focused on the anti-graft agency collaborating with the London Metropolitan Police to keep Ekweremadu imprisoned indefinitely despite his efforts to free him.
Follow us on Facebook
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.