metro
EFCC secures final forfeiture of 52 luxury Lekki homes in landmark court ruling
EFCC secures final forfeiture of 52 luxury Lekki homes in landmark court ruling
A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the permanent forfeiture of 52 terrace and maisonette housing units in the upscale Lekki area of Lagos State to the Federal Government, handing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) one of its biggest asset recovery victories in recent years.
Justice Alexandra Owoeye delivered the landmark judgment on July 15, 2026, after granting an application filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, which argued that the properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
The forfeited properties are located at Mercyville Estate, Covenant Way, off New Road, Ilasan, Lekki, and were recovered from Fielddreams Limited, Ifeanyi Nweke and Amex Savings and Loans Limited, according to the anti-graft agency.
The ruling followed a lengthy legal process that began on August 14, 2024, when the EFCC secured an interim forfeiture order from Justice Akintayo Aluko after filing an ex parte application.
As required by law, the court directed the commission to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper, inviting anyone claiming ownership or interest in the properties to appear before the court and show cause why the estate should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Following the publication, the respondents filed a counter-affidavit opposing the final forfeiture application. They initially claimed that the funds used to develop the estate were generated from the sale of part of a landed property and 29 terrace and maisonette housing units, which they valued at approximately ₦1.9 billion.
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However, the respondents later changed their position by alleging that several of the housing units had not been completed. The EFCC argued that the new claim directly contradicted their earlier sworn affidavit, in which they maintained that proceeds from previous property sales were used to complete the furnishing and interior decoration of the remaining units and that construction of the estate had already been completed in 2020.
During the hearing, EFCC counsel Franklin Ofoma informed the court that the commission had fully complied with the publication order issued during the interim forfeiture proceedings. He said the application for final forfeiture was supported by a 31-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Afolabi Seyi Oladele, a litigation officer in the commission’s Legal Department.
The anti-graft agency maintained that its investigations established reasonable grounds to believe that the properties represented proceeds of unlawful activities, making them liable to forfeiture under Nigeria’s asset recovery laws.
The commission also informed the court that the second respondent, Ifeanyi Nweke, is a fugitive facing criminal prosecution. According to the EFCC, Nweke failed to appear before Justice R.A. Oshodi and Justice Okunuga in separate criminal proceedings despite being required to answer charges filed against him.
The EFCC further disclosed that two subsisting warrants of arrest had already been issued against Nweke after he allegedly jumped the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the commission.
In her judgment, Justice Owoeye held that the respondents’ affidavit contained material contradictions that undermined its credibility. She ruled that the court could not selectively rely on conflicting pieces of evidence presented by the respondents.
Consequently, the judge rejected the respondents’ affidavit in its entirety, holding that there was no credible opposition to the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture.
Justice Owoeye further ruled that the commission had successfully demonstrated reasonable grounds to suspect that the estate was acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities. She therefore granted the application and ordered that all 52 terrace and maisonette housing units be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judgment represents another significant milestone in the EFCC’s campaign against corruption, money laundering and financial crimes. In recent years, the commission has intensified the use of Nigeria’s non-conviction-based asset forfeiture framework to recover assets believed to have been acquired through illicit wealth, even where related criminal proceedings remain pending.
Legal analysts say the ruling reinforces the courts’ support for lawful asset recovery while underscoring the importance of presenting consistent and credible evidence in forfeiture proceedings.
With the judgment, ownership of the 52 housing units now officially vests in the Federal Government, which is expected to determine the future use of the properties in line with existing laws and national interest.
EFCC secures final forfeiture of 52 luxury Lekki homes in landmark court ruling
metro
IBEDC Announces Major Power Outage in Ogun Region Over Network Load Restriction
IBEDC Announces Major Power Outage in Ogun Region Over Network Load Restriction
Abeokuta, Ogun State — Residents and businesses across major parts of Ogun State are bracing for a significant disruption in electricity supply following an official notice of power outage issued by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
In a statement released on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and signed by the Ogun Region office, the utility company attributed the impending blackout to load restrictions on the Ota/Papalanto/Abeokuta 132kV network. According to the management, this restriction is severely impacting the available power supply to their 33kV feeders serving the region.
The notice, which was directed to “Esteemed Customers,” indicates that the power rationing will affect a vast array of communities across the state.
Providing a comprehensive list of the affected areas, IBEDC stated that customers in Itele, Iyesi, Osuke, Lafenwa, Oju-Ore, Ilogbo, Ewupe, Singer, Jacross, Ore-Meta, Iju, and Iju Love will experience reduced power supply.
Other affected locations include Mopin, Ota Industrial Estate, Housing Estate, Afobaje, Olosun, Oke-Ola, Alishiba, GRA, The Bell, Igberen, Davol, Iyana-Iyesi, Olokuta, High Court, Oloko, Obasanjo, Ayetoro, Imeko, Ilaro, Ifo, Papalanto, Ijako, Idiroko, and Odeda.
The outage also extends to Owode-Egba, Kobape, Bisodun, Omu, Arigbawonwo, Siun, Asipa, Orile-Imo, New Makun City, Pentagon Estate, Lufuwape, Ibafo, Mowe, Lotto, Olowotedo, Orimerunmu, Ofada Town, Pakuro, Ogunrun, Asa-Bala, Mayegun, and the Christ Embassy Area.
Furthermore, residents in Ijagba, Akeja, Owode Ijako, Ibogun, Ajegunle, Ilepa, Ijako Onihale, Abeokuta, and its environs are equally expected to be affected by the load restriction.
IBEDC noted that it is actively monitoring the situation in collaboration with its value chain partners to resolve the issue and restore normal supply. The company promised to keep its customers updated on any new developments regarding the network.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,” the statement concluded, acknowledging the impact the reduced power supply will have on homes, industries, and commercial activities in the affected areas.
Customers experiencing prolonged outages or requiring further clarifications have been urged to contact the company via its customer care lines at 0805 500 9999 or 0915 500 9999, or through their official social media handles.
IBEDC Announces Major Power Outage in Ogun Region Over Network Load Restriction
metro
Gunmen Kill Two Policemen, Raze Station, Patrol Van in Daring Attack on Aba Police Division
Gunmen Kill Two Policemen, Raze Station, Patrol Van in Daring Attack on Aba Police Division
ABA, ABIA STATE – A wave of grief and insecurity has gripped the commercial hub of Aba following a horrific attack by unknown gunmen on the Uratta Police Division, which left two police officers dead and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
The brutal assault, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, saw the assailants not only neutralize the officers on duty but also set the police station and a patrol vehicle ablaze in a display of brazen violence.
According to eyewitness accounts and confirmed by police authorities, the heavily armed hoodlums stormed the facility, firing sporadically to overwhelm the security architecture of the division. During the ensuing gun duel, two policemen paid the ultimate price, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Images from the scene of the incident, which have circulated online, depict a scene of devastation. A police operation van, parked within the premises, was completely incinerated, reduced to a charred metal shell. The attackers also torched parts of the station building before fleeing the scene, leaving a trail of panic among residents of the Uratta community.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Abia State Command, assured the public that a manhunt has been launched to apprehend the fleeing suspects. The Command, in a statement, condemned the attack as a cowardly act and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
“The Command has lost two of its gallant officers in the line of duty. We are currently on the trail of the attackers, and we assure the public that normalcy has been restored to the area,” the PPRO stated.
Residents of the area have expressed deep concern over the recurring attacks on security formations in the South-East, calling on the government to intensify efforts to curb the rising tide of insecurity. The attack on the Uratta Division is the latest in a series of targeted assaults on police infrastructure in the region.
As of the time of filing this report, security has been beefed up around the affected division to prevent any further breakdown of law and order, while the remains of the deceased officers have been deposited at a mortuary.
Gunmen Kill Two Policemen, Raze Station, Patrol Van in Daring Attack on Aba Police Division
metro
COAS Storms Borno as Tinubu Orders Rescue of All Abductees, Destruction of Terrorist Camps
COAS Storms Borno as Tinubu Orders Rescue of All Abductees, Destruction of Terrorist Camps
MAIDUGURI — Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has arrived in Borno State as the Nigerian military intensifies its security operations following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to rescue all abducted persons and eliminate terrorist and bandit camps across the country.
Shaibu arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at about 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2026, two days after Tinubu issued the directive to security chiefs during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The army chief’s visit comes amid renewed pressure on security agencies to intensify counterterrorism operations, dismantle insurgent hideouts and secure the release of Nigerians being held captive by criminal groups.
Although it remains unclear whether the visit was directly triggered by the President’s order, Shaibu is expected to meet with theatre, field and unit commanders involved in military operations across the state.
His arrival at the headquarters of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri signals continued military engagement in a region that has faced years of insurgency and attacks by armed groups.
Tinubu’s directive was disclosed on Thursday, October 15, by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), after a security meeting with the President and heads of security agencies.
According to Musa, the President ordered security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue all abducted persons, regardless of where they were being held.
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“The directive from the President is: all of us must go all out to fish out and rescue all those that have been abducted, kidnapped, wherever they are,” the minister quoted Tinubu as saying.
The President also directed security chiefs to ensure that terrorist and bandit camps were dismantled across the country.
“There shouldn’t be any camp of any terrorists or bandits anywhere in Nigeria,” Musa said, relaying the President’s position.
The directive comes as the Federal Government faces continuing security challenges, including kidnappings, terrorist attacks and the activities of armed groups in parts of northern Nigeria.
Borno remains a major theatre of counterinsurgency operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have carried out attacks on civilians, security personnel and communities in the North-East.
Military operations under Operation Hadin Kai have focused on confronting insurgents, disrupting their movements and restoring security to affected communities. The latest visit by the army chief is expected to provide an opportunity for engagements with commanders overseeing operations on the ground.
Tinubu has also directed security chiefs to ensure adequate security for Nigerians during the elections scheduled for January, according to the Defence Minister.
The President’s instructions place renewed emphasis on rescuing abductees, dismantling armed groups’ operational bases and improving the security environment ahead of the polls.
However, the army chief’s arrival in Maiduguri should not be interpreted as confirmation that all abductees have been rescued or that terrorist camps have been eliminated. No such outcome was established in the reports announcing his visit.
The military’s next steps and any operational results from the engagements in Borno are likely to be closely watched by families of abducted persons and communities affected by insurgency.
For now, the government’s stated objective remains clear: intensify security operations, rescue people held in captivity and dismantle the camps used by terrorists and bandits to carry out attacks across Nigeria.
COAS Storms Borno as Tinubu Orders Rescue of All Abductees, Destruction of Terrorist Camps
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