Ex-NIMASA DG, Akpobolokemi to Recover Assets, ₦725million As Court Lifts Forfeiture Order

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday discharged an order made by Justice Tijani Garba Ringim, which forfeited property and the sum of ₦725,345, 897.77 million, linked to a former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Apobolokemi.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke discharged the interim order while ruling on the processes filed by parties in the suit.

The court also dismissed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) motion on notice for a final forfeiture order of the assets.

This ruling paved the way for the former NIMASA DG to recover the assets.

On April 3, 2023, another judge of the same court, Justice Tijani Ringim, ordered the interim forfeiture of a property situated at Plot No. J37A Close, 2nd Avenue, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, and the money, while granting a motion ex parte filed by the EFCC.

The property is said to belong to a real estate firm, Boloboloere Properties & Estates Limited, while the money, N725, 345, 897.77 million, is said to belong to another company, Onyeinteke Global Network.

In granting the orders for interim forfeiture of the property and the money at the time, Justice Ringim ruled: “That an order of this honourable court is hereby granted to the applicant forfeiting in the Interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the property lying, being and situate at Plot No J37A Close, 2nd Avenue, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, which property is reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.

“That an order of this honourable court is hereby granted to the applicant forfeiting in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the total sum of N725,345,897.77 (seven hundred and twenty-five million, three hundred and forty-five thousand, eight hundred and ninety-nine naira, and seventy-seven Kobo), which sum is reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of unlawful activity and warehoused in the account of Onyeinteke Global Network domiciled in the UBA PLC and bearing Account No: 1018325345.

“That the applicant is hereby directed to publish in any National Newspaper, the Interim Order granted under reliefs 1 and 2 above, for anyone who is interested in the properties sought to be forfeited to appear before this Honourable Court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said properties should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

However, the two firms, Boloboloere Properties & Estates Limited and Onyeinteke Global Network Limited, through their lawyer, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, challenged the orders of interim forfeiture through a Motion on Notice dated April 11, 2023, wherein he asked the Court to set aside and/or discharge the order.

Labi-Lawal predicated his arguments on the fact that, the EFCC concealed before the court, the fact that, Boloboloere had been discharged on all counts bordering on allegations of money laundering brought against it in Charge No: FHC/L/31C/2015: Federal Republic of Nigeria vs. Dr. Parick Ziadeke Apobolokemi and 10 Others.

He also argued further that the EFCC had failed to show or demonstrate how Boloboloere’s property was purchased from the proceeds of unlawful activities.