A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties owned by the embattled former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu.

The senator is currently in the custody of United Kingdom law enforcement agents over alleged human trafficking.

The former Deputy Senate President and his wife are also standing trial over alleged organ harvest.

The trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order following an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1242/2022 filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a short ruling on the exparte motion, the Judge 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 specifically asked anybody interested in the properties covered by the interim forfeiture order to indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order of the court.

Justice Ekwo adjourned till December 5, 2022, for a report, if there is any objection from any member of the public regarding the properties.

The interim forfeiture order covers 10 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 located in the Federal Capital Territory.

By the ruling, members of the public interested in the properties, covered by the interim forfeiture order should, within 14 days of the newspaper publication, inform the court why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

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