Court dismisses ex-Custom boss, Inde’s bid to vacate forfeiture order
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has dismissed an application by Abdullahi Dikko Inde, former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service to vacate the court earlier interim order of forfeiture of his properties to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
It would be recalled that, the EFCC had on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 recovered seventeen exotic vehicles in a warehouse of the former Comptroller-General of Customs located at Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Kaduna.
A statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren ,the Head,Media and Publicity EFCC said the recovery was sequel to an intelligence report the Commission received that stolen money and properties suspected to be proceeds of crime were being warehoused at the former custom boss’ premises.
Following the recovery, the EFCC on February 24, 2017 secured an interim forfeiture order of the court granted by Justice S. M. Shuaibu on the properties.
However, Inde’s counsel, Mahmud Magaji, SAN, through a motion on notice urged the court to discharge the said order of interim forfeiture against his client’s properties.
But in a considered ruling on Tuesday, the court dismissed the application and held that “the EFCC has the power to obtain an order of interim forfeiture in respect of properties suspected to be proceeds of crime.”
The ruling was in respect of consolidated applications in suits Nos. FHC/KD/CS/20/2017, EFCC V ALH. DIKKO Inde and FHC/KD/CS/23/2017, EFCC V ALH. ABDULLAHI DIKKO Inde filed by the EFCC Kaduna and Kano Zonal offices respectively.
