Court orders EFCC to return houses seized from Saraki

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) move to seek the final forfeiture of two houses in Ilorin belonging to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki to the federal government, was struck out by a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday July 16.

Recall that the EFCC had obtained a court order for the interim forfeiture of the houses – Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State in December 2019. The anti-graft agency alleged that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.

Ruling on the case, Justice Rilwan Aikawa who stated that the evidence presented before the court was to the effect that the property was substantially financed with money paid to Saraki as a former governor, in line with the Kwara State Governor and Deputy Governor Payment of Pension Law, said EFCC's claim of properties being acquired with illegal funds was based on mere suspicion.