The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of $16,500 and ₦127 million fraudulently diverted from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Kehinde Ogundare issued the permanent forfeiture order following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by counsel Sulaiman Sulaiman. The EFCC argued that the monies were proceeds of unlawful activities.
On May 23, 2024, Justice Ogundare had ordered the interim forfeiture of the funds and directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper to allow any interested parties to show cause why the monies should not be permanently forfeited. Despite this, no claims were made against the forfeiture.
The EFCC’s affidavit detailed how funds amounting to over ₦1.1 billion intended for International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) projects were diverted. The funds were approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan and managed by Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, former head of NIMASA.
Large sums were transferred to accounts controlled by close associates of Captain Bala Ezekiel Agaba, a former Executive Director at NIMASA, and were then converted to US dollars and used for personal gain without rendering any services to NIMASA.
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The court had previously directed the EFCC to publish the interim order of forfeiture in a national newspaper, which was done on June 6, 2024.
The publication elicited no claims, leading to today’s final forfeiture order by Justice Ogundare.
This ruling marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to recover funds illicitly diverted from public coffers and reinforces the judicial commitment to upholding financial integrity within Nigeria.
