The Federal High Court, Abuja, Monday, dismissed an interim forfeiture order of assets and funds earlier placed on Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.
In July, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the federal high court Abuja gave an interim forfeiture order giving the lawmaker or anyone who might have owned the seized assets 30 days to convince the court why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Nigerian government.
The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property had on July 14, taken temporary possession of several property allegedly owned by Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North Senatorial District, including accounts in Zenith, Access, UBA and Sterling banks.
Meanwhile, in a motion on notice by counsel to the senator, Robert Clarke, SAN, filed and brought to the court’s attention on July 11, Nwaoboshi urged the court to set aside the ruling.
He also challenged the court’s jurisdiction to further grant audience to the SPIP in relation to his assets.
While delivering the judgment, Justice Taiwo however, set aside the earlier order giving the SPIP to seize the assets.
But the SPIP had in an exparte application moved by its lawyer, Celsus Ukpong, described the assets as suspicious or suspected to be far beyond the legitimate income of Nwaoboshi.
Joined as the 1st to 5th respondents in the ex-parte application are the Zenith Bank, Access Bank, United Bank of Africa and Sterling banks.
Although Ukpong had applied for interim forfeiture of 14 landed assets, the judge only granted the request in respect of 11, as he exempted three of them that were without addresses from the order.
The affected properties include, Suiming Electrical Company (RC 1090069) located along Asaba Airport Road, Asaba, Delta State; PON Filling Station, along Asaba Airport Road, Asaba, Delta State and a multi-billion naira estate under construction at Maryam Babangida Road, Asaba, Delta State.
They also include, Cartage Cinema located at Okpanan Road, beside Rain Oil Petrol Station, Asaba, Delta State; Newbridge Filing Station, along Airport Road, Warri, Delta State; and a house at No. 8, Monu Olarewaju Crescent, GRA, Asaba, Delta State.
The rest are, a multi-million building located at 41, Buma Road, Apapa, Lagos; Guinea House, No. 27, Marina Road, Apapa, Lagos; Plot 3011B, Kuranah Close, Maitama, FCT, Abuja, and Ceedeez School Hall Airport Road, Asaba Delta State.
Those exempted are Plot on C of O No. 16800, Plot on C of O No. 16711 and Plot on C of O 13988.
