Court orders forfeiture of assets seized from suspected fraudsters arrested by EFCC

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday ordered the interim forfeiture of assets seized from.suspected fraudsters by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The items which include 1,596 computers and laptops, 4,091 phones, seven vehicles and about 70 others were seized fron 193 foreign nationals and 599 Nigerians by the commission on December 10, 2024 in the Victoria Island area of Lagos

Some of the suspects have arraigned in court by the EFCC.

The EFCC counsel, Bima Isah, who moved the ex parte motion, said the Commission had received intelligence regarding a large-scale fraud operation involving foreign nationals in Lagos

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He said the suspects financed their activities through Genting International Company Limited, adding that the assets in question were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

After reviewing the arguments of the counsel, the judge granted the motion.

He also directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper allowing anyone interested in the assets to appear in court within 14 days to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

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