The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified its choice to keep the identity of the owner of a recently seized estate under wraps.
On Monday, the EFCC revealed the recovery of 753 duplexes and additional apartments located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09 in Lokogoma District, Abuja, marking it as the largest single asset recovery in the agency’s history.
However, this decision has drawn criticism from various Nigerians who are questioning the lack of transparency regarding the asset’s ownership.
Among the critics is Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate from the African Action Congress, who accused the EFCC of hesitance in tackling “big thieves.”
In response, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, issued a statement on Tuesday, asserting that the agency’s actions are in line with the legal framework that governs forfeiture proceedings and reflect a commitment to professionalism.
Oyewale elaborated that the estate’s forfeiture was conducted through civil proceedings as outlined in Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act. This legal framework permits action-in-rem, which focuses on the property itself rather than the individuals involved, especially in cases concerning unclaimed assets.
He said, “The allegation of a cover-up of the identity of the promoters of the Estate stands logic on the head in the sense that the proceedings for the forfeiture of the Estate were in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, which is a civil proceeding that allows for action-in-rem rather than action-in-personam.
“The latter allows legal actions against a property and not an individual, especially in a situation of an unclaimed property. This Act allows you to take up a forfeiture proceeding against a chattel who is not a juristic person. This is exactly what the Commission did in respect of the Estate. Individual in situations of unclaimed assets.”
Oyewale disclosed that actionable intelligence led to investigations into the estate.
During the process, he said a company initially flagged as the likely owner denied any links to the property after public notices were published in leading national newspapers.
“On the basis of this, the commission approached the court for an order of final forfeiture which Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court granted on Monday, December 2, 2024,” he added.
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