The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of two properties belonging to a senior staff member of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Aminu Sidi Garunbabba, to the Federal Government.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order on Thursday, April 3, 2025, following a case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The properties involved are a four-bedroom terrace house with a boys’ quarters at Barumark Groove Estate, Plot 667 Cadastral Zone BO3, Wuye District in Abuja, and another building located at No. 5 Lodge Road, Kano.
The EFCC had filed the ex-parte motion for forfeiture through its lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), on March 16, 2022. The commission said the properties were suspected to have been bought with money from illegal activities.
In a statement on Friday, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the motion was based on Section 44(2) of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act.
Oyewale explained that the court had first issued an interim forfeiture order on February 16, 2022. The court also asked that the order be published in a national newspaper to give anyone with interest in the properties a chance to explain why they should not be permanently taken by the government.
During Thursday’s court session, the EFCC told the judge that the properties were “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”
However, Garunbabba’s lawyer argued that the EFCC should not have gone to court since there was still an ongoing disciplinary process at the FIRS.
Justice Egwuatu disagreed. He ruled that the disciplinary case at FIRS does not stop the EFCC from taking legal action.
Oyewale quoted the judge as saying: “This case targets properties suspected to be proceeds of crime. A criminal case requires proof beyond reasonable doubt, but in this case, only reasonable suspicion is needed. Both processes can happen at the same time.”
The judge added that Garunbabba failed to prove that he bought the properties with legal income.
“A person cannot be allowed to benefit from illegitimate acts,” the judge ruled.
With the final forfeiture granted, both properties now officially belong to the Federal Government.
