Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, don give order on Wednesday for the final forfeiture of N2,739,836,331.31, which be proceeds of illegal mining of solid minerals in Endo community, Nasarawa State.
The order follow application wey the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) file through their counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, on September 27, 2024. The application ask for the final forfeiture of the sum to the Federal Government under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, because dem suspect say the money come from unlawful activities.
On July 8, 2024, the court already grant interim forfeiture order on the sum to the FG, to allow anyone with legitimate claim of ownership of the money to come forward. During the proceedings, counsel for the first and second defendants, Lideal Mines Limited and Etong Agrotech Nigeria Limited, Ibrahim Idris, inform the court that he withdraw the application on behalf of his clients, challenging the final forfeiture of the sum. The prosecution no object to this withdrawal.
The forfeited funds dey in four bank accounts, all belonging to the two defendants. N102,835,460.85 dey in a Zenith Bank account belonging to Lideal Mines Ltd, while N1,288,265,692.11, N1,187,909,426.70, and N160,825,751.70 dey in Zenith Bank, UBA, and Globus Bank accounts respectively, all belonging to Etong Agrotech Nigeria Limited.
Justice Nwite adjourn the matter till October 23, 2024, for hearing of the application for the final forfeiture of other sums linked to the three defendants.
