Ekweremadu: Ohanaeze Says Court’s Judgement Too Hasty, Faults Forfeiture Of 40 Landed Properties

Sequel to an interim forfeiture order of 40 landed properties belonging to former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu by a Federal High Court on Friday, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described the judgement as a hasty one.

Naija News reports that the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation has faulted the order to forfeit 40 of Ekweremadu’s landed properties by Justice Inyang Ekwo the High Court.

Ohanaeze in a statement issued today explained that the hasty exparte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the absence of the former deputy senate president falls short of ethical standards and natural justice.

The group said it wasn’t fair that he (Ekweremadu) was not given a chance to defend himself over his forfeited properties, considering the fact that he is facing several travails in the United Kingdom (UK).

The National Publicity Secretary of the group, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, who signed the statement submitted that “We are aware that there are several allegations of corruption cases pending in the EFCC but the urgency and selective judgment in the case of Ekweremadu are not only curious but indeed true to type.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all the Nigerian legal luminaries of goodwill to intervene against gradual steps towards totalitarianism in Nigeria,” the statement partly read.

Meanwhile, Naija News reported yesterday that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Naija News reports that the High Court’s judgement followed an ex-parte motion filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ekweremadu, is currently in custody in the United Kingdom, over allegations of organ harvesting.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who presided over the suit numbered, FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022, ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a national daily within seven days from the date the order was given.

Justice Ekwo in a short ruling on the exparte motion advanced that anybody interested in the properties covered by the interim forfeiture order should indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order of the court.

The order covers ten of Ekweremadu’s properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America (USA), two in the United Kingdom (UK), one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, and 15 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The high court Justice adjourned the hearing to December 5, 2022, to get feedback from EFCC if there is any objection from any member of the public regarding the properties.