Kogi Govt Reacts As Court Grants EFCC Request To Seize Multi-Billion Naira Properties

The Kogi State Government has rejected the court ruling that ordered the interim forfeiture of some of its multi-billion naira properties to the Federal Government.

Recall that the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday, granted the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the interim forfeiture of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja, United Arab Emirates linked to the Kogi government.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo granted the order following an ex parte motion filed and argued by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, in suit FHC/L/CS/301/2023.

The judge authorized the EFCC to confiscate the sum of N400 million also linked to the State and recovered from one Aminu Falala and publish the order within 14 days for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made permanent.

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, described the development as ridicule of the fight against corruption in the country and a clear desperate concoction of confused, unintelligent officials.

Fanwo said the EFCC’s “disgraceful fixation on the State in the pursuit of desperate political intereridicule of the fight against corruption” was the reason for the case, asking Nigerians to ignore the campaign of calumny by the anti-graft agency.

He said the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, had shown that his mandate at the agency was to bring down perceived enemies of those who planted him there at the expense of the nation’s integrity.

The Commissioner said the state government does not have any property that can be forfeited to the Federal Government under any guise.

The statement read: “It was clear that the EFCC had declared a tactless open war against the Kogi State Government, owing mainly to the Governor’s unflinching loyalty to the All Progressives Congress and not individuals, stressing that the Governor was not one that could be cowed once he believes in a cause.

“Nigerians, and indeed, the international community are not as ignorant as the convicted Bawa and his sponsors. They know, with the different onslaughts against the Kogi State Government, and its officials, that this is clear persecution by a desperate and power drunk EFCC.

“In due course, Nigerians will confirm that the EFCC, under Bawa, is the capital of corruption amongst agencies in Nigeria.

“Unlike the convicted Bawa, who has no regard for the courts. We want to state clearly here that, from what we have read in the media, not one we witnessed, this is a forfeiture proceeding and the order is an order of interim forfeiture, which gives persons who allegedly own the properties rights to come to court to establish their ownership of the said properties. We will follow through with the courts.

“For now, it is clear the EFCC has declared a tactless open war against the Kogi State Government, owing mainly to the Governor’s unflinching loyalty to the All Progressives Congress and not individuals. We will prove our innocence in court. It is a matter of time.”

“The state government thanked Nigerians for standing by what is right and pointing out the mess that had become of the fight against corruption under an “emergency chairman”.

“On this note, we advise the public to ignore Bawa’s EFCC’s latest naked dance in the market square as the desperate last kicks of a dying horse.”