Court orders interim forfeiture of Sambo Dasuki son’s Abuja property

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered a temporary forfeiture of a N90 million worth property linked to Abubakar Dasuki, son of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to the Federal Government.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, gave the order after counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanrewaju Adeola, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect.

Justice Nwite, thereafter, directed the EFCC to give a 14-day notice in a national daily and on its website for interested person(s) to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government and adjourned the matter until July 14 for hearing.

Our correspondent reports that the property, a seven-bedroom detached duplex with basement and two servant rooms, is located at House No. D1064 at the Brains and Hammers Estate, Apo, Abuja.

Earlier while moving the motion, Adeola informed that the ex-parte, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/589/2022 dated April 26, was filed on April 29.

He said the ex-parte originating summon motion was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and the inherent powers of the court.

According to the four grounds giving by the EFCC why the reliefs should be granted, the commission said: “The property as contained in the schedule in respect of which the reliefs are sought is subject matter of investigation and is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

“The person under investigation and in whose possession the property was found had agreed to forfeit it to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” among others.

In the affidavit deposed to by Chidi Nweke, a superintendent of the EFCC, the anti-graft agency said sometime in November 2015, it received an intelligence report from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), alleging payments of huge sums of money to individuals and companies by the past NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

The antigraft Agency alleged that the money was paid from the accounts of the ONSA between 2012 to 2015 purportedly for cortract awarded to the beneficiaries in which there were no records of any contract.

It averred that its Special Investigation Unit was directed to conduct Inquiry into the intelligence report with a view to establishing the veracity of the report or otherwise.

It said investigation revealed that amongst other monies paid to individual accounts and companies’ accounts from the bank account of the ONSA, the sum of N90 million was paid to Brains and Hammers Ltd Fidelity Bank account Number 4010167275.

The commission said the letters of investigation activities were written to the suspect, Fidelity Bank, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Brains and Hammers Ltd (Real Estate Developer) and response received.

“That further to paragraph 9 above, one Daniel Amos; Director, Business Development, Commercial and Infrastructure with Brains and Hammers Ltd reported to the commission and he volunteer a statement that ninety million naira was received in the Brains and Hammers Fidelity Bank account No. 4010167275.

The ONSA, the EFCC said was depositor for the purchase of a 7 Bedroom detached duplex with basement and 2 Servant Rooms, at House No. D1064 at the Brains and Hammers Estate, Apo, Abuja in the name of Abubarkar Atiku Dasuki,” it said.

The EFCC also averred that in the course of investigation, a copy of the letter of provisional allocation of the property in the name of Abubarkar Atiku Dasuki was recovered.

It prayed the court to grant the reliefs in the interest of justice.