The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court will hear the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s motion for the final forfeiture of N228.4 million associated with the former governor of Abia, Theodore Orji, on May 28.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter to hear the motion after the EFCC’s counsel, Fadila Yusuf, confirmed the agency had complied with a previous court order.
At the resumed hearing, Mr Nwite inquired about the status of the case.
Ms Yusuf responded that the hearing was intended to report compliance.
She stated, “I wish to confirm that we have complied by publishing the report on the commission’s website and in a newspaper as directed.”
Consequently, Ms Yusuf requested a date to move their motion for final forfeiture, and the judge scheduled the matter for May 28.
Justice Nwite had previously adjourned proceedings in the forfeiture case on February 13 until April 7 (today) after the EFCC failed to publish the interim forfeiture order of over N228.4 million in the national dailies as instructed.
The delay was attributed to the EFCC’s inability to access the order swiftly enough to facilitate the publication on their website and in the newspaper.
On January 3, Justice Nwite granted an order to temporarily freeze the funds under allegations of money laundering. In that ruling, issued on an ex-parte motion from Ms Yusuf, the judge also mandated that the commission publish the order on its website and in the Daily Trust newspaper.
The judge instructed any interested parties to show cause within 14 days of the publication of the order as to why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
Mr Orji previously served two terms as a senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District before retiring from active politics.
The anti-graft agency filed the ex-parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/03/V/2025, under section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Dated December 30, 2024, and filed on January 2 by Ms Yusuf, the motion sought an order for the interim freezing and forfeiture of N228,497,773.12 held with Keystone Bank, as detailed in a schedule attached to the federal government.
In her five-point argument, the lawyer asserted that the funds mentioned in the schedule were under investigation by the EFCC and were found in the possession of Effdee Nigeria Ltd.
She stated that the money was reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of unlawful activities.
“Effdee Nigeria Ltd is alleged to have conspired with others to defraud the Abia State Government, involving conspiracy, abuse of office, obtaining money by deceit, money laundering, and diversion of public funds.
“Effdee Nigeria Ltd, in whose possession the funds were discovered, is reasonably suspected of conspiring with Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, the former Governor of Abia State, various officials from his administration, and members of his family,” she explained.
Ms Yusuf indicated that the EFCC was investigating these allegations following an intelligence report regarding Mr Orji.
According to her, it is crucial to preserve the funds pending investigation and/or prosecution.
On February 28, the anti-graft agency arraigned Mr Orji, along with his son Chinedum, a former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Philip Nto, a former Commissioner for Finance, and others, on allegations of N47 billion fraud.
Also charged were government contractor Obioma King and Romanus Madu, a former director of finance in the state.
The defendants, who pleaded not guilty, face a 16-count charge related to the alleged misappropriation of funds and were subsequently granted bail set at N50 million.
