The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has successfully seized no fewer than 97 properties from different individuals and froze 1,233 bank accounts linked with corruption cases between 2019 and 2022.
Report shows the ICPC has been up and doing in its campaign against anti-money laundering activities.
The anti-graft agency who responded to a Freedom of Information request by the Punch revealed that it has been able to recover lots of properties for the Federal Government.
Part of the 97 properties recovered by the ICPC include 33 buildings, plots of land and a factory forfeited to the Federal Government by a former accountant with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Dr Jimoh Olatunde.
The New Diplomat recalls Ojerinde is facing 18 charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja where the ICPC accused him of diverting N5.2billion in public funds during his time as the chief executive of NECO and JAMB.
Olatunde who is a prosecution witness in a case of official corruption and abuse of office brought against Ojerinde, narrated in court how the former Registrar of JAMB allegedly diverted N341.9 million from NECO to set up a personal printing press, school and acquire other assets.
Subsequently, ICPC confiscated multi-billion-naira worth of assets allegedly linked to the proceeds of the alleged fraud.
The assets seized from him, included schools, filling stations, and houses located in different parts of Ilorin in Kwara State, Ibadan and Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Ile Ife in Osun State, and Abuja.
Other individuals whose property were also forfeited include a Ministry of Niger Delta worker, Daniel Obah, who had plots of land in different parts of Abuja and Rivers State; an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil, Edike Akpan; Joseph Udoh, a retired Federal High Court official; and Adedeji Taofi, who forfeited a school.
A businessman, Lukumanu Waziri, similarly lost an unregistered Pontiac car, Peugeot 406, Range Rover Evoque and an unregistered Lexus, as well as bungalow, land, shoe and other personal items to the government.
One Adenike Bintu forfeited two plots of land along Airport Road, Abuja, while Okroghene Akpore lost parcels of land and a duplex.
Kabiru Poloma equally forfeited several plots of land in Gombe State, a multipurpose complex and two hotels – Donkay Hotel and Suites and Snamai Suites.
Also on the list is Adam Yusuf, who forfeited residential buildings in Idu, Abuja, while one Babangida Aliyu also lost a Mercedes Benz car to the government.
Also, further breakdown of the ICPC’s response showed that no fewer than 1,233 bank accounts have been frozen by the anti-graft commission between 2019 and now.
Out of the 1233 accounts, 60 accounts belonging to 15 persons, who were investigated for corruption, have been finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
The accounts contained N547.7m and $669,248.89 in total.
A former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulazeez Yari, lost $669,248.89 and N24,289,910.89 to the Federal Government.
The money was lodged in Yari’s two personal accounts and the accounts operated by his companies, BT Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited and Kayatawa Nigeria Limited.
The sums of N217,388,040 and $311,872 found in a bank account belonging to BT Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited and another N11,159,674.80 and $301,319.99 kept in an account belonging to Kayatawa Nigeria Limited were also forfeited to the government.
Also, the ICPC has placed under interim forfeiture 29 duplexes in different estates in Jabi, Maitama, Kaduna, Zamfara and Abuja allegedly belonging to the ex-governor, who is currently on trial for corruption.
The ICPC had accused Yari, a two-term governor, of not being truthful in his assets declaration.
It accused him of diverting Zamfara State’s funds, using some companies, including Kayatawa Nigeria Limited and B T Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.
It alleged that on June 18, 2015, BT Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited received a transfer of N150m from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum through Yari, who was then the chairman of the forum.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, subsequently granted a motion by the ICPC seeking permanent forfeiture of the funds.
