EFCC secures interim forfeiture order on abandoned 49m cash

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC,yesterday secured an interim forfeiture order granted by Justice S.M Shuaibu of the Federal High Court Kaduna ordering that the sum of Forty Nine Million Naira (N49,000,000) be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice filed by the EFCC.

The order was made pursuant to Section 17 (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act 2006 as there is no individual(s) coming forward to claim the said sum after over 72 hours of getting the intelligence report from the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN, Kaduna.

Justice Shuaibu also said the suit should be published in any of the national dailies across the country within a reasonable time in order for the EFCC to move a motion for the final forfeiture in case no one or group of persons comes forward for the stated sum. The case is adjourned to 3rd April 2017 for hearing.

Recall that the sum of N49 million was intercepted by the operatives of the Commission as the huge amount was being ferried out through the airport.
According to the information, the money was contained in five unmarked and unaccompanied large black coloured Buhu sags and upon examination, the bags were found to contain fresh crispy Naira notes of N200 denomination in 20 bundles totaling N40 million and N50 denomination in 180 bundles totaling N9 million with seal purportedly emanating from the Nigeria Security and Minting Plc (NSPM) as seen in the labeled sealed packs.