Why we seized ONSA’s Account Director’s properties-EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained its decision to get an interim forfeiture order to seize about eight choice landed property allegedly owned by the Director, Finance and Accounts in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), General Jafaru Mohammed.

The EFCC said it acted on intelligence that a serving top military officer was in the habit of acquiring high-profile properties and had floated companies that owned similar assets.

It said upon preliminary investigation by a special task force team constituted in its Kano office to investigate the intelligence, the team found that Gen. Mohammed, who joined the Nigerian Army in October 1993, could not have legitimately earned enough to acquire the properties allegedly linked to him.

The EFCC made the clarification in a document filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on March 9, 2021 granted an ex-parte application brought by the EFCC for an interim order of forfeiture over the identified property.

Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo, in her ruling, said “an order of interim forfeiture is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria all the assets and properties listed in the schedule to this motion.”

The judge also ordered the EFCC to publicise the order of interim forfeiture to invite “any person(s) or body (ies) who may have interest in the assets and properties listed in the schedule to show cause within 14 days of such publication why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria should not be made.”

The affected properties include : A house on plot no 7, Gods own Estate, Road, 1, Wamba District, Abuja; a fenced plot at No 1, Jubril Aminu Crescent, Katampe Extension Abuja, and a plot of land along Kubwa Express Road, directly opposite Abuja Model City Gate, Abuja.

Others are: A house (Block SD 22 House 2, Road 5, Kabusa Garden Estate, Abuja; House No 15, 21 Crescent, 2% Avenue Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja; House No 3, Liverpool Close, Sun City Estate, Abuja; House No 532, Mainstreet, Sun City Estate Abuja, and House No 25, Osaka Street, Sun City Estate Abuja.

The EFCC stated in the court document that. Gen. Mohammed has earned not more than N73,402,644.29 since he enlisted into the Nigerian Army in 1993, and could not have been able to legitimately acquire those properties.

It said: “Upon receipt of the intelligence, investigation commenced in earnest whereby letters of investigation activities were written to Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Jaiz Bank Plc, GT Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Pic, Keystone Bank Plc and Unity Bank Plc, amongst others requesting for account opening packages and statement of accounts as well as the registration status of the companies listed.

“A team of operatives visited the properties to verify the existence as well as the location of the properties.

“The team interviewed one General Jafaru Mohammed and recorded his statement regarding his source of wealth.

“General Jafaru Mohammed is a serving military personnel and currently the Director Finance and Accounts in the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“Prior to his current posting, he served in the Finance and Accounts Departments of the Nigerian Defence Academy and National Defence College.

“The said Jafaru Mohammed admitted having and running many filing stations while being a public servant.

“Clearly, in view of the properties so far discovered, there is no way the legitimate earnings of Brigadier General Jafaru Mohammed could have funded the purchase of these properties.

“Further to the foregoing paragraphs, investigation reveals that the above listed properties are proceeds of the unlawful activities of Brigadier General Jafaru Mohammed.

“The entire salary of Brigadier General Jafaru Mohammed from the day he joined the Nigerian Army in October, 1993 to October, 2020 is N73, 402, 644.29.

“Brigadier General Jafaru Mohammed owns a company called Gajere Multiple Links with Fling Stations in Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Minna and Lokoja respectively.

“Brigadier General Jafaru is also a Director in Gajere Properties Ltd and Zaikog Global Links Enterprises.

“Brigadier General Jafaru owns two burau de change (BDC) companies, namely Ummatuhabibullah BDC Ltd and Tahir BB BDC with his wives and children as shareholders and signatories to the accounts of the companies,” the EFCC said.