A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of multi-billion naira lands meant for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government
Court Orders Permanent Forfeiture of Multi-Billion Naira Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Housing Estate to FG
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a multi-billion naira expanse of land earlier approved for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the application filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), following arguments by the commission’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha. The application was not opposed by defence counsel, Hassan Liman (SAN).
In his ruling, Justice Umar directed the ICPC, on behalf of the Federal Government, to supervise the completion of the housing project, comprising 962 housing units, in line with the original proposal.
The judge ordered that the supervision be carried out in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the sole respondent in the suit, and that the completed housing units be made available to end users.
“An order is hereby made for the final forfeiture of Plot No. 5 in Cadastral Zone D12, Kaba District, Abuja, measuring approximately 122,015.80 square metres and valued at ₦1,944,375,000.00,” Justice Umar ruled.
He further ordered the forfeiture of “Plot No. 4 in Cadastral Zone D12, Kaba District, Abuja, measuring approximately 157,198.30 square metres and valued at ₦3,340,500,000.00, suspected of being proceeds of unlawful activity.”
The court also directed the ICPC to facilitate the handover of the forfeited properties to the FMBN, describing the bank as the victim of the alleged unlawful activity.
Justice Umar further ordered the ICPC and FMBN to constitute a joint committee, drawn from both agencies, to oversee the completion and implementation of the housing project.
The ruling, delivered on December 11, was contained in the enrolled order sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.
NAN reports that the court had earlier, on July 9, granted an interim forfeiture of the lands after the ICPC moved a motion ex parte, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The ICPC had argued that the lands were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and sought to prevent their conversion to private use or sale to unsuspecting members of the public. The commission also published notices inviting interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
In an affidavit sworn by Iliya Marcus, an ICPC officer, the commission disclosed that it received intelligence reports that the FMBN engaged Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited, a private developer, to construct 962 housing units under the National Housing Fund Scheme.
According to the affidavit, the FMBN obtained approval on July 30, 2012, to commence construction of the estate, followed by a framework agreement with the developer on January 27, 2012, and the appointment of a consultant on February 1, 2012, to monitor the project.
Investigations revealed that the FMBN secured a $65 million loan from Ecobank Limited for the project, intended to benefit low-income earners, with a projected completion timeline of 18 months.
Marcus stated that the bank paid ₦3.785 billion to the developer as drawdown on November 22, 2012, without evidence of the developer’s registration with the Real Estate Developers Association, a prerequisite for payment.
“Investigation also revealed that the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria paid the full project sum of $65 million to Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited without a single house on the project site,” he said.
The ICPC further alleged that the developer was making clandestine moves to sell off the land, warning that failure to grant the application could make recovery impossible.
The commission’s counsel told the court that the project, initiated during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was meant to honour the former president but had yielded no physical development despite the release of funds.
Justice Umar, in granting the forfeiture, queried why the entire project sum was paid upfront without commensurate progress on the site. Read More
(NAN)
