The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday fixed April 20, to rule on an application seeking to vacate an interim order, freezing 14 properties linked to Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo fixed the date on Tuesday after taking submissions from the governor’s counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed (SAN), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
The court had on February 22, made an interim forfeiture order following an ex parte motion to confiscate 14 properties and firms in Lagos, Abuja, and the United Arab Emirates as well as N400m, recovered from one Aminu Falala.
When the matter came up on Tuesday, counsel for the Kogi governor, Mohammed, moved his application praying that the interim order be vacated.
Mohammed, while moving the application, stated that about the third quarter of 2021, the EFCC approached the court to freeze Kogi State’s account in Sterling Bank with N20bn salary bailout loan allegedly hidden in it.
He said when the Kogi State government called Sterling Bank, the bank denied that such account existed, and that they challenged the freezing order made by Justice Tijjani Ringim.
Mohammed said instead of apologising, the EFCC issued a press release, saying that the money had been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The SAN said following that incident, the Kogi State government approached a state High Court, which then restrained the EFCC from going after the state until the determination of the substantive suit.
Mohammed said the order of the Kogi State High Court restraining EFCC from taking any step against the state government was still subsisting.
“The EFCC in flagrant disregard of the said order of the Kogi State High Court and a pending appeal arrested one Ali Bello, who is an associate of the Kogi State governor on November 29, 2022.
“The EFCC in flagrant disobedience of the subsisting order of the High Court of Kogi State, interrogated the said Alli Bello and coerced him to oblige them information pertaining to most of the properties listed in the order of this honourable court made on the 22nd of February, 2023.
“The said Ali Bello aggrieved by his illegal arrest and forced interrogation, filed a fundamental rights enforcement application at the High Court of Kogi State, against the EFCC.
“That the High Court of Kogi State, in a judgment delivered on January 12, 2023 granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant and made an order declaring his arrest, detention and interrogation illegal and unconstitutional and further made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from further arresting, detaining, harassing and intimidating the said Ali Bello.
“He, therefore, urged Justice Oweibo to reverse the freezing orders and returned the properties to the governor.
But the EFCC lawyer, Oyedepo, in opposition, urged the court to dismiss the application.
The judge adjourned till April 20 for ruling.
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