Court issues ICPC orders for final forfeiture of Jonathan estate land in Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a multi-billion naira expanse of lands approved for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government.

Judge Mohammed Umar granted the request by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, moved the application, which was not opposed by defence lawyer Hassan Liman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Mr Umar directed the ICPC, on behalf of the federal government, to supervise the construction of the land to completion of the 962 housing units as earlier proposed.

The judge held that the supervision should be done in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the sole respondent in the case, and ensure the utilisation of the housing units by end users.

Mr Umar, in the ruling delivered on 11 December, but whose enrolled order the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) saw on Tuesday, further directed the ICPC and FMBN to set up a committee whose membership is to be drawn from both agencies to implement the completion of the project.

NAN reports that Mr Umar had, on 9 July, granted the anti-corruption commission’s prayer to temporarily take over the lands, after Akponimisingha moved a motion ex- parte to the effect.

Mr Umar held that the interim forfeiture of the multi-billion naira assets approved by the FMBN shall be pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The land was suspected of being proceeds of an unlawful activity.

The estate was to be named in honour of the former president. (NAN)

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