Court Orders Seizure Of Ex-NAPL MD Properties In Lagos

Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of five properties allegedly linked to a former Managing Director, Nigerian Army Properties Limited, (NAPL), Major-General Umar Mohammed, to the federal government.

Justice Aneke gave the order after entertaining a motion on notice filed and argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its lawyer, Aliyu Mohammed.

The properties are No.8b, Bedwell Road, Ikoyi; No.3, Force Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No.14, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No.6, Marina,  Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 28, Point Road, Apapa, Lagos.

The EFCC had claimed that its investigation revealed that the properties were fraudulently misappropriated and the sale proceeds diverted for personal use.

The court had, on March 4, 2024, ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and also directed the publication of the order in a national newspaper for any interested person to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.

While moving the application, Mohammed informed the judge that the anti-graft agency had complied with the court’s order regarding the publication.

He also submitted that “It will be in the interest of justice for the court to grant the prayers being sought and order the final forfeiture of the property to the federal government.”

After listening to the EFCC’s counsel’s submissions, the judge ordered the final forfeiture of the five properties to the Federal Government in favour of NAPL.

The former group managing director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major General Umar Mohammed, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by

A special court-martial set up by the Nigerian Army had on October 11, 2022 sentenced Major General Mohammed to seven years imprisonment for corruption charges, forgery, and abuse of office, amongst several others.

He was found guilty on 14 out of the 18-count charge while he was discharged and acquitted on the remaining four count charges.