Federal high court in Abuja is scheduled to hear an application from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 28 regarding the final forfeiture of approximately ₦597.4 million linked to Theodore Orji, the former governor of Abia State.
Gatekeepers News reports that Orji held the position of governor from 2007 to 2015 and later served as a senator representing Abia Central from 2015 to 2023.
On January 3, Judge Emeka Nwite granted an order for the interim forfeiture of ₦497,773.12 following an ex parte application by the EFCC.
The legal representative for the EFCC, Fadila Yusuf, stated in court that the funds, currently held by Effdee Nigeria Ltd., are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The allegations suggest that the company conspired with Orji and other officials to defraud the Abia State government.
Judge Nwite instructed the EFCC to publish the order on its website and in a national newspaper to provide an opportunity for any interested parties to contest the permanent forfeiture of the funds within 14 days of the publication.
During the latest court session on Monday, Yusuf confirmed that the EFCC had fulfilled the publication requirement as ordered by the court.
“I wish to state that we have complied by publishing the report on the commission’s site and in a newspaper as directed,” she said.
The EFCC counsel thereafter applied for a date to move the motion on notice for final forfeiture, while the judge adjourned the matter until May 28 for motion.
Meanwhile, the former governor is facing a 16-count charge over alleged N47 billion misappropriation.
