Court orders interim forfeiture of Maiduguri property in alleged N345m investment scam

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The Borno State High Court in Maiduguri has ordered the interim forfeiture of a four-bedroom bungalow linked to an alleged investment scam involving N345 million.

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According to a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the judge, Babagana Karumi, granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the commission.

The property, located at Dikecheri Mashamari Ward in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, sits on a 50ft by 100ft plot of land and is suspected by investigators to have been acquired with proceeds of crime.

According to the EFCC, the case centres on one Udda Ahmad, also known as Imam Dawud, who allegedly approached a businessman, Ahmadu Idris, in 2022 and 2023 with a proposal to supply wheat offal at a discounted rate, with promised profit-sharing.

Investigators said Mr Idris later transferred N345 million for the transaction, but the funds were allegedly diverted for personal use.

EFCC lawyer, Mukhtar Ahmed, told the court that the application was supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit deposed to by investigator Maina Muhammad, who detailed how the property was linked to the suspected proceeds of the transaction.

He also explained to the court that the commission acted on a petition signed by K.M. Haruna on behalf of Idris, alleging misappropriation of the funds meant for the offal deal.

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After listening to the application, Mr Karumi granted the request and ordered the interim forfeiture of the property pending the conclusion of the investigation and possible prosecution.

Separate forfeiture order on accounts, phones

In a separate ruling on the same day, another judge Jude Dagat of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri granted an interim forfeiture order and a freezing directive on assets belonging to another suspect, Muhammad Abubakar, also known as Abubakar Muhammad.

The order followed an ex parte motion moved by Mr Ahmed, supported by a 20-paragraph affidavit and two exhibits deposed to by investigator Suleiman Bawa.

The affected assets include a Keystone Bank account (No. 6044662000) in the name of Muhammad Abubakar, as well as a Tecno Camon 40 Pro and an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Mr Dagat ordered that the account and the items be placed under interim forfeiture to the Federal Government pending the outcome of the investigation into allegations of criminal misappropriation and cheating.

The interim forfeiture is a temporary court order used to preserve assets pending substantive determination of the legitimacy of its ownership or the circumstances of its acquisition. Such order can be issued in criminal proceedings or non-conviction-based proceedings. In non-conviction proceedings, interim order final forfeiture order does not amount to a conviction.

READ ALSO: EFCC transfers ex-minister Mamman jailed for 75 years for corruption to prison

A familiar pattern in fraud cases

The latest rulings follow a familiar pattern in Maiduguri courts.

In one recent matter, the commission arraigned a defendant before the Borno State High Court over an alleged N4.3 million rice supply fraud, where funds meant for the purchase of rice were allegedly diverted for personal use.

Across several of these cases, the allegations tend to follow a similar storyline: promises of bulk supply deals in rice, wheat or other staple goods, followed by large transfers from victims who believe they are entering legitimate trading arrangements.