2 months ago
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The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the permanent forfeiture of five prime properties associated with the former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major-General Umaru Mohammed, to the Federal Government.
Naija News reports that Justice Chukujekwu Aneke issued the final forfeiture ruling on Wednesday after a request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer, A.O. Mohammed.
The EFCC informed the court that investigations uncovered fraudulent misappropriation of the properties, and the proceeds from their sale were diverted for personal gain.
During the hearing for the permanent forfeiture of the properties, Mohammed stated that the Commission had adhered to the court’s directive regarding the publication.
“It will be in the interest of justice for the court to grant the prayers being sought and also order the final forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government,” he said.
Following the consideration of the counsel’s submissions presented by the EFCC, the presiding judge issued a final decree mandating the forfeiture of five properties to the Federal Government.
The properties in question, as delineated by the EFCC, include:
– No.8b, Bedwell Road, Ikoyi;
– No.3, Force Road, Ikoyi, Lagos;
– No.14, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos;
– No.6, Marina, Ikoyi, Lagos; and
– No.28, Point Road, Apapa, Lagos.
Naija News understands that on the 4th of March, 2024, the judge issued an interim forfeiture order for the properties, which were deemed to be reasonably suspected to be derived from illicit activities.
Additionally, the judge mandated the publication of this order in a national newspaper, thereby inviting interested parties to present their arguments against the permanent forfeiture of these properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Mohammed’s Conviction
Naija News recalls that the Nigerian Army Special Court Martial in Abuja had, in October 2023, convicted Maj. Gen. Umaru Mohammed, a former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, of corruption offences.
As a consequence, he was sentenced to a term of seven years in prison.
Furthermore, the military tribunal mandated that Mohammed repay a sum of $2,178,900, equivalent to approximately $2.1 million in US dollars, or N2.1 billion when converted at a rate of N1000 per dollar.
This amount, when added to the existing debt of N1.6 billion, equates to a total of N3.7 billion. Additionally, he was required to remit N1.65 billion to the Army Properties and Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL).
The trial encompassed 18 charges, which included forgery, misappropriation of funds, and conspiracy, among others. Despite Mohammed’s defence of his innocence on all allegations, the court martial determined his guilt on 14 counts.
In the course of delivering the judgment on Tuesday, the panel, chaired by Maj. Gen. James Myam imposed a sentence of five years’ imprisonment on Mohammed for the first count and mandated the repayment of $1,045,400,000 to Nigerian Army Properties Limited.
He was also found guilty on the second count, resulting in a sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a requirement to repay $480,000 to Nigerian Army Properties Limited.
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