EFCC Loses Bid To Seize Kogi Govt’s Properties In Dubai, Others

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has struck out its interim forfeiture order granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to confiscate some properties belonging to the Kogi State government.

EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, in suit FHC/L/CS/301/2023, told the court that the 14 properties linked to Kogi State Government in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates “were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity.”

Justice Nicholas Oweibo had granted the interim order pending determination of the case.

But the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed San, filed a notice of intention opposing the EFCC’s action.

He urged the court to decline jurisdiction over the matter due to the governor’s constitutional immunity.

He also contended that it was the Kogi division of the court that should look into the matter, adding that the said properties were acquired before he became governor.

In his ruling, Justice Oweibo declined jurisdiction on the matter and struck it out in line with Section 308 of the Constitution which provides immunity to a sitting governor.