Court orders EFCC to return Saraki’s properties

Former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki has scored a major win after the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to return the two houses forfeited temporarily to the Federal Government to him.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa on Thursday ordered the release of the houses back to Saraki while delivering judgment on an application by the EFCC seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government.

In December 2019 the EFCC secured interim of the houses – Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State – to the FG after telling the court that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.

But the attempts by the EFCC to convert the temporary forfeiture order to a permanent forfeiture order were resisted by Saraki, leading eventually to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order on Thursday by Justice Aikawa.

Justice Aikawa said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application to grant the permanent forfeiture order.