Court orders forfeiture of NIMASA funds diverted under Jonathan govt

The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, ordered the final forfeiture of the sums of $16, 500, 000 and N127m fraudulently diverted from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the funds were diverted during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Justice Kehinde Ogundare ordered the final forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government, following an application on Tuesday by the EFCC.

Counsel for the EFCC, Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, told the judge that the funds were found to be proceeds of illegal activities.

The EFCC, in its supporting affidavit, explained that the funds were diverted after Jonathan, through the then National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki,  approved the release of N1.2bn to NIMASA on November 4, 2023.

According to the EFCC, the funds were meant for the implementation of the International Ship and Port Security projects.

The EFCC said the funds were diverted into the bank accounts of one Uche Obilor, an ally of NIMASA’s Executive Director, Captain Bala  Agaba.

Agaba, it was said, was also the Chairman of the ISPS Committee.

The EFCC said, “That on November 4, 2013, the then President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, through the National Security Adviser, approved the requested sum of N1.12bn,  and upon the release of the first tranche of N1.12bn, an account No. 0060559139 was opened on 03/1/14, in which Captain Bala Ezekiel Agaba, the Chairman of the ISPS Committee/Executive Director, NIMASA, Mr. Victor I. Onuzurike and Mr. Dele T. Ejekukor were signatories.

“That no sooner had the money hit the committee’s account, one Mr. Uche Obilor, a close associate of the chairman of the committee, Captain  Agaba, received the total sum of N437,726,666.66m, through his company known as Seabulk Offshore Operator Limited with account number 005326440.

“That Obilor equally received another sum of N402m, through his company Southern Offshore Limited with account number 1013224100. And that also, the said Mr. Uche Obilor used his company known as Ace Prothesis Limited to receive the total sum of N66,800m, through its account number 1012583949.”

The judge had on May 23, 2024 made an order temporarily forfeiting the funds following an ex parte application by the EFCC.

The judge said the temporary forfeiture order should be published in a national newspaper to notify the public, adding that anyone interested in the money should approach the court with reasons why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

On Tuesday, the EFCC lawyer, Suleiman, said the publication had been done in The PUNCH newspapers and no one had shown up to lay claim to the money.

He, therefore, urged the court to order the permanent forfeiture of the funds.

Justice Ogundare, after listening to Suleiman, said the “order (was) granted as prayed.”