The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken over 214 landed properties owned by corrupt officials in the last three years.
The anti-graft agency recovered the properties, located in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Oyo states and in different cities across the country, from over 70 individuals and seven firms.
Herald Nigeria gathered that, while 179 properties were recovered through interim forfeiture court orders, thirty-five of the properties have been finally forfeited to the commission while two, including a hotel belonging to Ima Niboro, former spokesman to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, were returned voluntarily.
It was learnt that a former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke; ex-National Security Adviser, Dasuki Sambo; former minister, Iyorchia Ayu; the late Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.) were among those who lost their properties to the federal government.
Others were former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, ex-Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, Col. Bello Fadile (retd.) and a former Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema who had 20 properties under interim forfeiture.
The EFCC recovered three properties, including a seven-storey building under construction in Gudu district, Abuja, belonging to one Emmanuel Ozigi and two others, while six properties located in different parts of Ibadan, Oyo State, were recovered from one Oni Ademola.
Also, five choice properties were recovered from Alison-Madueke; they include a multi-storey building on Banana Island, six flats in Ikoyi and 21 mixed housing in Yaba, Lagos; 16 terrace houses in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and 13 terrace duplexes in Mabushi, Abuja.
There was also a final forfeiture order in respect of buildings in Ikorodu, Agege, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; Cranbel Court, Citiview Estate, Arepo, which were recovered from Jamiu Anifowoshe and forfeited to the Lagos State Government.
Real estate consisting of seven buildings located on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Victoria Garden City, Ikota, Port Harcourt, Lekki and Utako, Abuja, were also recovered from Obasuyi Osasoghie and forfeited to First Bank Plc.
For other recoveries made by the EFCC, the figures for last year include 141 vehicles; 44 bank accounts; one barge; farmland; four filling stations; two hotels and 47 parcels of land which were considered proceeds of crime.
In this year alone, the EFCC had recovered N3.2bn (final forfeiture) from Amosu who paid N2.2bn; Olugbenga Gbadebo, N190.8m; Solomon Enterprise, N101m and Paul Boroh and 16 others, who coughed up N686.7m cash.
Source: Herald Ng.