EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of Galaxy Hospital, N333m, Petrol Stations, Lands

Court

By JUMOKE SANNI

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured a final forfeiture of Galaxy Hospital, five petroleum filling stations and several landed properties across the Federal Capital Territory, Borno, Nasarawa and Niger states, as well as money, totaling N333 million.

The final forfeiture order, which was granted on Monday, July 14, 2025 by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja followed a motion on notice filed by the EFCC, pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, marked “FHC/ABJ/1058/2024.”

The application, supported by a 36-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Tahiru Ahmed, an EFCC operative sought the final forfeiture of the assets suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The Commission had on August 13, 2024, secured an interim forfeiture order in respect of the properties, with a directive from the court to publish the said order in any national daily and on the EFCC website, inviting interested persons to show cause as to why they should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

The EFCC, in compliance with the court’s directive, published the interim order in The Punch Newspaper of September 4, 2024.

Ahmed informed the court that since the publication of the interim order, no individual or entity has come forward to claim ownership of the affected assets, arguing that granting the final forfeiture order by the court would serve the interest of justice, as no party would have suffered a loss.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, counsel to the EFCC, Fadila Yusuf, urged the court to grant the final forfeiture, having complied fully with all legal requirements.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the application was meritorious and accordingly granted the final forfeiture order as prayed.