A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, cleared the way for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to freeze the illicit property of two of the prime suspects in the looting of the Police Pension fund to the tune of about N33 billion.
The two suspects to lose their property scattered in many locations in Lagos and Abuja, are Atiku Abubakar Kigo and Uzoma Cyril Attang, who are alleged to have used the stolen funds to acquire the assets.
The commission said it got the blessing of Justice Sunday E. Aladetoyinbo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, to take possession of the assets of the two suspects via an interim forfeiture order issued by the judge on July 30, 2013.
The order, which is pursuant to section 29 (a) and (b) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004, is expected to remain in force, pending the hearing and determination of the case of corrupt enrichment filed against them by the anti-graft agency. Both Mrs. Attang, who was an Assistant Director at the Police Pension Office between 2005 and 2008, and Kigo, who was Director of the Police Pension Office before being made Permanent Secretary, were first arraigned on March 29, 2012, on a 16-count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust before Justice Mohammed Talba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, alongside seven others.
Forty-six of the attached property situated mostly in Lagos and Abuja belong to Attang, while Kigo, whose properties had earlier been attached, had another of his plot of land at Gudu district attached.
Among property traced to Attang and covered by the interim order are : a block of four flats at 3 Mama Ada Street, Alasia, Ajah, Lagos; a block of four flats at 33 Pamona Street, Sun City Estate, Abuja; Blocks of Flats at 71 Pamona Street, Sun City, Abuja; a piece of land and three bedroom duplex along Ajah- Epe expressway, Alasia – Lagos; two blocks of three bedroom duplex at 13 & 15 Adele Road, Apapa, Lagos; two units of two bedroom bungalow at Plot E148, Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja; three bedroom bungalow at 44 Main Street, Sun City, Abuja; three bedroom bungalow, 8 Pomona Street, Sun City, Abuja and five bedroom house, at 12 Olushola Agbaje Street, Lekki Phase 1,Lagos.
Other are: five-bedroom house at Ikot-Nseten, Ikono, Akwa Ibom State; four-bedroom house at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State; Shops 1,2 & 3 at Garki 2 Ultra Modern Market, Abuja; Shops/Office B74 & B76,Effab Mall, Area 11,Gark- Abuja; Shops E1 to E5, F6 & F7 at Oba Elegushi Market, Jakande Estate, Lekki-Lagos; Shops D11,C03,C04,C07,C08 & D02 at Effab Mall, Area 11,Garki-Abuja; Shops 174,176,185,186 &187 at Ikota Shopping Complex, Ajah, Lagos; a warehouse at 3, Nwanyinkwo Street, Ajah, Lekki, Lagos and a water factory at Industrial Estate, Idi Iroko Road, Ota, Ogun State.
Also attached are some companies allegedly operated and used as conduits by Attang to siphon public funds. These are Anifon Nigeria Limited; Enyiuzo Ventures Limited; Quill Ponte Nigeria Limited; Royal Diadem Business Logistics Limited; Status Symbols Rental Limited; Status Symbols Fashion Limited and Status Travel & Tours Limited.
In addition, 22 accounts in various banks allegedly used by the suspect to launder the stolen funds were also frozen.
Credits: Vanguard.
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