Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine properties allegedly linked to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Justice Egwuatu granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court held that the properties, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, should be forfeited to the Federal Government pending the hearing of a motion for final forfeiture.
Justice Egwuatu also directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in at least two national newspapers, inviting any interested party to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the government.
The judge further ordered that the publication be made within seven days of receiving the certified true copy of the ruling.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until May 25 for a report on compliance.
The EFCC, through its counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, urged the court to grant the application on the grounds that the properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful activities.
The affected properties are located in high-value areas of Abuja, including Maitama, Wuse, Garki, Mpape, and Dakibiyu.
They include four blocks of terraces in Dakibiyu; a duplex with a penthouse and office complex on Niger Street; a standalone duplex at Palm Springs Estate, Mpape; and a 10-unit block of flats in Wuse Zone 4.
Others listed are a six-unit block of flats in Garki; two blocks containing 12 flats in Wuse II; a standalone duplex in Maitama; and a two-block structure in Garki currently occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The application was filed under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, with the commission seeking temporary forfeiture pending further proceedings.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State, has also been mentioned in connection with an alleged failed coup plot against President Bola Tinubu. However, he has not been formally charged in relation to the allegation and is reportedly still at large.