Court orders seizure of N228.4m linked to former Abia Governor Orji

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the interim freezing and forfeiture of over N228.4 million linked to former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji.

The court’s decision, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, follows claims of money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.

The order, sought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), directs the anti-graft agency to publicize the ruling on its website and in Daily Trust newspaper. Justice Nwite further instructed that any interested parties should come forward within 14 days to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Theodore Orji, who served two terms as Abia State governor and later represented Abia Central Senatorial District in the Senate, has long retired from active politics. But the shadow of his past now looms large as investigators unravel allegations that public funds were siphoned off through a complex web of conspiracies involving officials, family members, and a private contractor.

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The EFCC claims that Effdee Nigeria Limited, a company ostensibly engaged in sewage and waste disposal, was central to the alleged scheme. According to court documents, the firm acted as a front to launder funds from the Abia State Government’s accounts, with the alleged complicity of officials from Keystone Bank.

In a sworn affidavit, Tahir Ahmed, a litigation officer with the EFCC, detailed how intelligence received between 2016 and 2017 spurred an investigation into Orji’s administration. Ahmed alleged that funds were funneled into Effdee Nigeria Limited’s account, where they were subsequently dispersed to various individual accounts before being withdrawn as cash and returned to government officials.

The investigation led to the arrest of Austin Akuma, a divisional head at Keystone Bank in Umuahia. Akuma reportedly confessed that he coordinated the scheme with Erondu Uchenna Erondu, a special adviser to the former governor. Court filings revealed that Effdee Nigeria Limited received substantial payments from state agencies, leaving a balance of N228.4 million in its Keystone Bank account—a sum now frozen by the court.

Fadila Yusuf, the EFCC’s lawyer, argued that the funds, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, must be preserved to prevent dissipation while investigations continue. She stated that the evidence gathered so far points to a conspiracy involving top officials in Orji’s administration, their associates, and family members.

“Effdee Nigeria Limited was a conduit for laundering funds,” Yusuf argued in court, citing detailed banking records and statements from suspects. “Preserving this money is crucial to ensure accountability and justice.”

After hearing Yusuf’s submissions, Justice Nwite found the EFCC’s application to be meritorious. He granted the interim forfeiture order and adjourned the case to February 3, 2025, for a compliance report.

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