FG to establish ‘central database’ for forfeited assets – Official

The Federal Government’s inter-ministerial committee on assets disposal said Tuesday that it would create a central database of assets for finally forfeited assets.

The chairman of the committee, Dayo Apata, said this during a courtesy visit of the committee to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.

Mr Apata, who is the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, said: “the committee will create a central database of assets that had been forfeited to the Federal Government to ensure the Federal Government gets value for all the forfeited assets”.

“Introducing uniform process of assets disposal, and avoiding wastages, so that the Federal Government can have the full benefit of what has been forfeited,” a statement by the EFCC quoted Mr Apata as saying.

He commended what he described as the “unprecedented synergy” among the relevant agencies represented on the committee.

“For the first time in Nigeria, all agencies are sitting together and discussing on the same table on issues related to assets management and disposal,” he said.

Mr Apata, at the committee’s maiden press briefing on February 2, said the committee, so far, had forfeited assets in 25 locations across the country.

He said on Tuesday that ”16 of the 25 sites were finally forfeited at the instance of the EFCC”.

“So it is only reasonable to come and pay homage and discuss with you how we can execute this assignment”, Mr Apata stated.

On his part, the acting chairman, EFCC, Mohammed Abba, said the commission would assist the committee in the execution of its mandate.

He also promised to facilitate the request of the committee to visit various zones of the country for onsite inspection of forfeited assets.

Committee to sell assets within six months

Last November, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) inaugurated a 22-member committee with a six-month mandate to sell off all assets forfeited to the federal government.

The minister, while inaugurating the 22-member committee, said the initiative was borne out of the president’s directive in October 2018 following recommendations of the Presidential Audit Committee on Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets and a need for efficient management of the assets.

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Members of the committee included the representatives of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President; the Federal Ministry of Justice; Federal Ministry of Finance; Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Auditor-General of the Federation, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices (and other related offences) Commission.

They also include the representatives of Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Department of State Security, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Department of Petroleum Resources, National Oil Spillage, Detection and Response Agency, Bureau of Public Procurement, and the Civil Society Organisation.

Others are youth representatives, the media, and other industries included by the Attorney General of the Federation.