The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture, to the federal government, of a property in Lagos in connection with an alleged fraud totalling ₦986 million.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu’s order for the forfeiture of the property was sequel to a motion ex parte filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), reports Channels TV.
Counsel to the EFCC, Chinenye Okezie, told the court that the property located at No. 29 Oyindamola Shogbesan Street, Park View Estate, Ago Palace Way, Isolo, Lagos, was allegedly purchased using proceeds from a fraudulent diesel transaction involving one Hannah Ify Nwaguzor, her associate, Ajayi Edward Olushola, and others.
According to the EFCC, the Commission received a petition from Prince Chukwulota Benneth Onuoha and two companies — G3 Solid Farms & Agro Allied Industries and Bohr Energy Ltd — alleging that the suspects defrauded them under the guise of supplying Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) worth ₦986 million.
In May 2024, the petitioners were introduced to Nwaguzor and Olushola by Irene Abidemi. Based on their representations, Bohr Energy Ltd transferred the funds to Mozann Global Merchants Ltd on May 14 and 15, 2024. However, no diesel was delivered, and the funds were allegedly diverted.
Investigators were said to have traced ₦500 million to Hola Jayu Nigeria Ltd, from which ₦261 million was allegedly paid to Orobosa Michael Ubogu for the purchase of the forfeited property.
The EFCC maintained that the funds used to acquire the property were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity, in violation of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The application, which was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Act and Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), sought to preserve the property pending the hearing of a motion for final forfeiture.
Justice Dipeolu in his ruling ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper, inviting interested parties to show cause within 14 days why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
In its written address, the Commission emphasised that interim forfeiture is a preventive measure to safeguard suspected proceeds of crime.
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Dame Patience Jonathan v. FRN, the EFCC submitted that a forfeiture order under Section 17 does not require a criminal conviction.
“The suspicion required is not one that leads to conviction but one that reasonably persuades the court that the property is likely to be proceeds of crime,” the EFCC argued.
In an affidavit in support of the motion, deposed to by EFCC investigating officer Waziri Abdullahi, it was stated that he was assigned to investigate a petition involving the offence of obtaining by pretense against Nwaguzor, Olushola, and Mukhatul Makarama.
The affidavit further detailed that the petition, marked as Exhibit EFCC1, was filed by Onuoha and the two companies, alleging a fraudulent AGO transaction amounting to ₦986 million.
According to Abdullahi, the complainants approached Irene Abidemi in May 2024 for the supply of diesel, who then introduced them to Nwaguzor of Mozann Global Merchants Ltd, said to be a petroleum dealer at Dockyard Wharf, Apapa, Lagos. Abidemi also introduced Olushola as her business partner.
On May 14 and 15, 2024, Bohr Energy Ltd transferred N986 million to Mozann Global’s account at Providus Bank (Acct. No. 1304754909), but the AGO was never supplied, nor was the money refunded.
Investigations traced a transfer of ₦500 million from Mozann Global to Hola Jayu Nigeria Ltd’s account (1305217818) at Polaris Bank. From there, ₦261 million was transferred to Orobosa Michael Ubogu on May 30 and 31, 2024, for the purchase of the property now under forfeiture.
The EFCC maintained that the said property, described in Schedule A of the application, was acquired with proceeds of the alleged fraud and not from any legitimate source of income.
The Commission urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice.
After granting the interim order, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter to September 2, 2025, for hearing on the motion for final forfeiture.
