JUST IN: Court Orders Forfeiture Of 10 Properties, Funds Linked To Ex-Gov, Yari

• A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday authorized the temporary forfeiture of about ten (10) properties and funds in banks allegedly owned by a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the order while ruling in an ex-parte application by the lawyer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.

Justice Egwuatu said the interim order granted would last for 60 days to enable the ICPC to conclude its investigation, following which the commission could apply for final forfeiture.

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The judge also ordered the ICPC to publicise the order for any person or persons with interest in the affected properties to show cause within 14 days why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Some of the properties, according to the ICPC, are in Maryland (USA), Abuja, Kaduna, among others.

Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, detained the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, over alleged illegal financial dealings and misappropriation of funds.

Yari, was arrested by operatives of the anti-graft agency and was taken to the Sokoto office of the commission where he was detained after being drilled for hours.

However, some of the alleged financial infractions against Yari include the sum of $56,056.75 reportedly lodged in his account with Polaris Bank; N12.9m, N11.2m, $303m, N217,388.04, and $311.8m said to be kept in different Zenith Bank accounts in the name of the ex-governor and his companies.

The former governor had earlier been grilled by EFCC operatives in Lagos, while the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on February ordered the final forfeiture of funds and properties belonging to Yari domiciled in Zenith and Polaris Banks.

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