Court to Rule on EFCC’s Forfeiture Application Against Former Acting AGF
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has fixed April 30, 2026, for ruling on the application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the final forfeiture of a property allegedly owned by a former Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, defence counsel, N. I. Quakers, SAN, informed the court that the defence had filed an application seeking to set aside the interim forfeiture order granted by the court on January 27, 2025. He also drew the court’s attention to a notice of preliminary objection dated August 15, 2025, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.
The defence counsel urged the court to discountenance the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture, arguing that the property in question forms part of the subject of a criminal trial pending against the defendant before another court. He contended that the court lacked jurisdiction and prayed the court to set aside the EFCC’s application.
Responding, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, referred to a motion dated May 6, 2024, and filed on the same date, seeking an order of final forfeiture of the property. He stated that the property was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of crime.
According to the prosecution, the application is supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Chinyelu Vivian Okpara, an operative of the EFCC, with exhibits marked EFCC 1 to EFCC 7 attached. Relying on the contents of the affidavit, the prosecution urged the court to grant the application.
Explaining further, Iheanacho said that the respondent, at the material time, served as Director of Finance at the Ministry of Defence, where funds released for military operations against Boko Haram were allegedly diverted through fictitious accounts to the tune of about ₦900 million.
He told the court that approximately ₦355 million was traced to the respondent through an account he allegedly nominated, belonging to M. Davies Enterprises Ltd, from which the property in dispute was purchased. He added that the defendant is currently residing in the property.
The prosecution further disclosed that during the investigation, the defendant voluntarily handed over the keys to the property and refunded part of the funds, but later challenged the forfeiture proceedings.
The EFCC counsel also informed the court that an additional affidavit was filed on May 16, 2024, and again urged the court to grant the application.
Justice Umar subsequently adjourned the matter to April 30, 2026, for ruling on the applications and judgment.
Meanwhile, the EFCC is also prosecuting Nwabuoku before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended nine-count charge of money laundering involving the sum of ₦868,465,000.
