Justice Nicholas Oweibo of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of the sum of N241milion allegedly diverted from the office of the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to the Federal Government.

The judge equally ordered the forfeiture of Real Tower Centre Shopping Complex situated at Plot 1121, Ekukinam Street, Utako District, Cadastral Zone, Abuja, to the Federal Government.

The forfeiture order was sequel to the granting of an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through one of its lawyers, Rotimi Oyedepo.

Arguing the motion, Oyedepo told the judge that the money was warehoused in two banks in the sums of N65 million, N61 million, N50 million and N65 million.

The lawyer added that intelligence reports showed that the Abuja property was purchased with funds furtively diverted from SDG, office of the SSA to the President, where one, Abdulsalam Bawa, is a Principal Accountant.

He said the EFCC fingered Bawa as the key suspect and that the diversion was perpetrated in grand conspiracy with some SDG staff.

Two firms; Kouchdim Unity Nigeria Ltd and Lankass Global Ventures, were also linked to the diversion.

After listening to Oyedepo’s submission, Justice Oweibo granted the ex-parte motion and adjourned further hearing in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/90/2021 to September 6 for final forfeiture proceedings.

Courtesy(excluding headline) New Telegraph