Court gavel
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hand back 27 houses it seized earlier this year, ruling that the properties were wrongly taken from their owners.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the verdict in the EFCC-initiated suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/348/2025, setting aside an interim forfeiture the commission secured on March 13 and declaring that the agency had failed to justify a final takeover of the assets.
The anti-graft agency had argued that the properties were acquired with the proceeds of unlawful activity. After the interim order was advertised in a national daily on April 4, businessman James Ikechukwu Okwete, his company Jamec West African Limited, and a third claimant, Adebukunola Iyabode Oladapo, approached the court to challenge the forfeiture.
Okwete and Jamec asserted ownership of 26 properties, while Oladapo laid claim to House No. 12, Fandriana Close, Wuse 2, Abuja.
In her judgment delivered on Oct. 31, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with the objectors and dismissed the EFCC’s request for a final forfeiture.
“I firmly find that the property owner/respondent’s (Okwete’s) affidavit to show cause has merit,” she ruled.
The judge added that Oladapo’s claim to the Wuse property also stood unchallenged, noting: “Since the learned senior counsel for the applicant (EFCC) has informed court that it has no objection to her affidavit to show cause, […] her affidavit filed to show cause stands substantiated in its entirety.”
Justice Abdulmalik consequently vacated the earlier forfeiture:
“Without more, I forthwith set aside and vacate in its entirety the interim order of forfeiture granted on 13th March, 2025… Accordingly, I order the immediate release of the aforementioned properties/its documents to the property owner/respondent and House No. 12 Fandriana Close, Wuse 2, Abuja, FCT, to Adebukunola Iyabode Oladapo respectively.”
She concluded that the EFCC’s request for final forfeiture “is now otiose.”
Despite the clear wording of the court order, lawyers representing Okwete and Jamec West Africa Ltd say the EFCC has not complied.
In a letter dated Nov. 27, counsel Serekowei Larry, SAN, informed the EFCC Chairman that the commission had allegedly refused to release the property documents even after enforcement officers visited EFCC’s office.
The letter reads in part:
“On 14th November, 2025, the judgment order was served on your good office and nothing was done to obey it… On 26th November, 2025, the Federal High Court through its Enforcement Unit […] proceeded to your office to execute the judgment… In straight words, your office refused to do so, thereby blatantly disobeying the said judgment which […] used the words ‘the immediate release.’”
The senior lawyer warned that persistent disobedience of court orders “in any regime, talk less of a democracy, […] will be the height of it,” but added that he hoped the EFCC chairman was unaware of the situation.
“We anticipate your positive reactions within reasonable time before we take further steps,” the letter stated.
NAN
