Court orders EFCC to release 2 houses seized from Saraki

July 16, 2020 8:20 PM

The EFCC argued that the houses were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor.

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki resisted the EFCC's attempt to convert interim forfeiture of his houses in Ilorin to a permanent one. (Daily Post Nigeria)

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to return two houses it seized from the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki to him.

Recommended articles

Justice Rilwan Aikawa on Thursday, July 16, 2020, while delivering judgement on an application by the EFCC to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government, asked the anti-graft agency to return the properties to Saraki.

In December 2019, the EFCC had secured a temporary forfeiture of two houses at Plots №10 and №11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State on the ground that the houses were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor.

However, attempts by the EFCC to convert the interim forfeiture order to a permanent one was resisted by the former Senate President. This according to ThePunch led to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order on Thursday by Justice Aikawa.

The Judge said there was no sufficient basis for the EFCC application, adding that he could not find his way through to grant the permanent forfeiture order the anti-graft agency sought.