Why We Cannot Reveal The Identity Of Owner Of Seized 753 Duplexes In Abuja – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has responded to the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, over its decision to withhold the identity of the owner of a recently recovered estate.

Naija News reported that the EFCC had on Monday announced the recovery of 753 duplexes and other apartments on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.

Sowore, while reacting to the development, accused the EFCC of being afraid of ‘big thieves’, unlike the treatment melted at suspects, who are Yahoo boys.

In response, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, in a statement issued on Tuesday titled, ‘Sowore and Co-Travellers’ Tantrums against EFCC’s Landmark Recovery’ stated that its actions were guided by the legal framework governing forfeiture proceedings and a commitment to professionalism.

Oyewale disclosed that actionable intelligence led to investigations into the estate, stressing that a company initially flagged as the likely owner denied any links to the property after public notices were published in leading national newspapers.

He added that revealing the names of individuals without direct evidence connecting them to the property’s title documents would be premature and unprofessional.

The statement reads, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is following with keen interest, the flurry of reactions to its record-breaking recovery of 753 duplexes and other apartments on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.

“The commentaries of reform-minded Nigerians to the Commission’s painstaking efforts in securing the final forfeiture of the Estate to the Federal Government of Nigeria, are appreciated. However, the denigration of such efforts by Omowole Sowore and his think-same and act-same, is unacceptable and grossly un-charitable.

“The allegation of a cover up of the identity of the promoters of the Estate stands logic on the head in the sense that the proceedings for the forfeiture of the Estate were in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act which is a civil proceeding that allows for action-in-rem rather than action-in-personam. The latter allows legal actions against a property and not an individual, especially in a situation of an unclaimed property. This Act allows you to take up a forfeiture proceeding against a chattel that is not a juristic person. This is exactly what the Commission did in respect of the Estate.

“The proceedings that yielded the final forfeiture of the Estate were products of actionable intelligence available to the Commission. The company flagged by our investigations denied ownership of the Estate following publications made in leading national newspapers. On the basis of this, the Commission approached the court for an order of final forfeiture which Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court granted on Monday, December 2, 2024.

“The expectation of the EFCC from citizen Sowore is a patriotic appreciation of its efforts in securing such a landmark forfeiture. It is shocking that the activist is not concerned about the systemic lassitude and unhelpful permissiveness that allowed such a monstrous corrupt act in the first instance. Nigerians should gear up more against lapses and loopholes in our system that continue to make the nation vulnerable to corrupt tendencies. The EFCC will continue to safeguard the financial space of the nation against manipulators and organised brigandage.

“It is important to note that the substantive criminal investigation on the matter still continues. It will be unprofessional of the EFCC to go to town by mentioning names of individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties. The EFCC is unwavering in its no-sacred-cow approach to every matter and together we will make Nigeria greater.”