Metro

Court Orders Final forfeiture Of $16.5 Million, N127 Million Diverted From NIMASA

Published

1 year ago

July 9, 2024

Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Lagos Federal High Court, Ikoyi has ordered the final forfeiture of $16.5 million and N127 million which were fraudulently diverted from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the federal government of Nigeria.

Justice Ogundare finally forfeited the monies, while granting an application for such orders, which was filed and moved by an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer, Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, today.

The monies, according to the EFCC, were said to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The judge had on May 23, 2024, ordered the interim forfeiture of the monies, while granting an Exparte motion, brought before the court pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14. 2006; and Section 44 (2)(B) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended)

The court after forfeiting the monies in the interim on May 23, 2024, had directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper, to show cause why the monies should not be finally forfeited.

However, at the resumed hearing of the final forfeiture of the money today, counsel to the EFCC, Suleiman Suleiman, informed the court that pursuant to your lordship’s order made on May 23, 2024, that the order be published, the publication of the order was made on June 6, 2024, on a national daily.

“The said application is supported by 22 paragraphs deposed to by Oghare Ogbole, an investigator with the EFCC.

“The application is accompanied with two exhibits, the Interim order of the court and Punch publication of June 26, 2024. And It’s supported with the written address.

“We most respectively adopt same and urge the court to grant the relief sought.”

Justice Ogundare after listening to the EFCC lawyer held that “order granted as prayed.”

The EFCC in the affidavit support of the application made the followings: “That on the 2nd October, 2013, the management of NIMASA under the leadership of Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi vide letter referenced: NIMASA 2007/DG/NSA/2013/006 dated 2/10/13, requested for the release of the sum of N1,123,400 billion, for the implementation of International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) projects.

“That on the 4th day of November 2013, the then President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, through the National Security Adviser (NSA) approved the requested sum of N1,123,400 billion. And that upon the release of the first tranche in the sum of N1, 123, 400 billion, an account No. 0060559139, domiciled in Access Bank was opened on 03/1/14, in which Captain Bala Ezekiel Agaba, the Chairman of the ISPS Committee/Executive Director, NIMASA, Mr. Victor I. Onuzurike and Mr. Dele T, Ejekukor are signatories.

“That no sooner had the money hit the Committee’s account, one Mr. Uche Obilor, a close associate of the chairman of the committee, Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba received that total sum of N437,726,666.66 million, through his company known as Seabulk Offshore Operator Limited with account number 005326440 domiciled in Access Bank.

“That the said Mr. Uche Obilor equally received another whopping sum of N402,480 million, through his company Southern Offshore Limited with Zenith Bank Plc., account number 1013224100. And that also, the said Mr. Uche Obilor used his company known as Ace Prothesis Limited to receive the total sum of N66,800 million, through its account number 1012583949, domiciled in Zenith Bank Pic.,

Agric College land belongs to family, court rules
“That out of the N437,726,666.66 million, paid to Seabulk Offshore Operator Limited, the total sum of N187 million, was transferred to Usaini Sabo on 06/03/2014, 10/06/2014, 12/06/2014 and 09/07/2014, who in turn converted same to US Dollars and handed them over to Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba.

“That from the said sum paid to Seabulk Offshore Operator Limited, the total sum of N67 million, was on the 23rd July, 2014, paid to Kofar Fada Limited, who also converted the money to US Dollars and handed over same to Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba. And that the sum of N66,800 million, received by Uche Obilor through his company Ace Prothesis Limited from NIMASA was equally converted to personal use without rendering any service to the agency.

“That from the sum of N402,480 million, received by Uche Obilor through his company Southern Offshore Limited from NIMASA, the total sum of N268 million, was paid to one Usaini Sabo, who said sum to US Dollars and handed same over to Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba.

“That from the sum of N402,480 million, received from NIMASA by Mr. Uche Obilor through his company Southern Offshore Limited, the total sum of N103,100 million, was equally transferred to Haji Kawu Investment Bureau De Change and Lekay Leads Ventures Limited, which sums were equally converted to US Dollars and handed over to Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba.

“That the various sums of money transferred to the companies of Mr. Uche Obilor from the treasury of NIMASA were fraudulent in that these companies neither rendered any service nor supply goods to the agency. Rather, the funds were largely converted to Dollars for personal use and the remaining retained by Mr. Uche Obilor.

“That during the course of investigation, the total sum of $16,500 USD cash, was recovered by the Commission, part of the funds diverted from the treasury of NIMASA. And that for using his companies as mentioned above, Mr. Uche Obilor, upon invitation to the Commission during the course of investigation agreed to return the sum of N118 million, admittedly received and retained by his companies from the funds fraudulently converted from the treasury of NIMASA.

“That Mr. Uche Obilor voluntarily raised drafts through First City Monument Bank in the name of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which sums are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

“That the funds sought to be forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful act of diversion of funds from the treasury of NIMASA, through Mr. Uche Obilor, his companies and other cronies.

“That I know as a fact that Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba, the then Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development of NIMASA was convicted, sentenced by this Honourable Court, per Buba, J (rtd) and subsequently granted pardon by the Council of State.

“That in view of the findings in preceding paragraphs and upon a thorough analysis of the evidence on record, this Honourable Court on the 23 day of May 2024 made an interim order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria in favour of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) the assets sought to be forfeited.

“That I know as a fact and verily believe that this Honourable Court on the said 23 day of May, 2024 also directed the Applicant herein to publish in any national daily the said interim order of forfeiture to enable any interested party to appear before the Court to show cause why the assets should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria, in favour of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

“That in compliance with the order of this Honourable Court, the Applicant herein published in The Punch newspaper of 6th June, 2024, the interim order of this Honourable Court.

“That I also know as a fact and verily believe that notwithstanding the Order of this Honourable Court directing any interested party to appear and show cause why the assets sought to be forfeited should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria in favour of NIMASA, no person or party had served any affidavit showing cause on the Applicant herein.

“That this Honourable Court has the requisite power and jurisdiction to grant this application. And that it is in the best interest of Justice to hear and determine this application.”

Metro

Edo: Man In Police Net For Allegedly Killing Abroad Returnee

Published

13 hours ago

December 28, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a suspect identified as Amadin William, for allegedly killing a 43-year-old Eghosa Osaikhuowuomwan, popularly known as Didi
in Oben community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

Osaikhuowuomwan, who reportedly resides abroad was in his community to celebrate the Christmas and New Year where he was killed by the suspect.

The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased went to attend a house warming party in the community on December 22, 2025, and in the process he (the deceased) excused himself to defecate where the suspect trailed him with matchett and machetted him in the neck.

Ikoedem, who said the deceased bled in the process and was confirmed dead in the hospital, adding that the deceased younger sister , Endurance Efe thereafter reported the incident to the police on December 23 2025.

She stressed that after the incident was reported to the police, the police started tracking the suspect, adding that he was eventually arrested in Benin City on December 27, 2025.

Ikoedem, who could not confirm if the deceased was an abroad returnee as claimed, noted: “The incident was reported on the 23rd of this month by the deceased edler sister named Endurance Efe.

“After giving the deceased a machete cut in the neck, the suspect fled the scene. It happened that on December 22, 2025, the deceased went for a house warning party in the community. During that party, he excused himself to defecate, and that was when the suspect came out and followed him with a machete, and gave him a cut in the neck, and he bled, and bled to death. He was actually confirmed dead at the hospital.

“The matter was reported at the police station the next day, by the deceased sister, and since then we have been tracking the suspect. He was arrested yesterday, December 27, 2025, in Benin City.”

The command’s spokesperson, while stating that the “suspect is currently in custody,” added that “but he is not the only one in custody. Two other persons were also arrested for arson.”

“Following the incident, hoodlums suspected to be from the victim’s family set ablaze the house of the suspect’s father and the community banner, for which two suspects—Prince Nosa ‘m’ aged 25 and Sunday Ogedegbe ‘m’ aged 30 were arrested and are in custody for Arson,” she said.

Metro

Obaseki Beaten, Stripped In Edo

Published

17 hours ago

December 28, 2025

Editor

Don Pedro Obaseki, a cousin to a former governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has been beaten and stripped by suspected thugs.

Pedro Obaseki was attacked at Uwa Primary School where he went to play football.

In a viral video, Pedro Obaseki, was seen kneeling at the Oba of Benin Palace gate.

The suspected thugs told the palace guards that they brought an Oghion(enemy) of Oba, as Pedro Obaseki was made to kneel down.

Metro

My Wife Started Bringing Home Her Lovers After She Sent Me, My First Wife Packing —Husband

Published

2 days ago

December 27, 2025

Editor

…He must give our child N30,000 monthly for food if he’s insisting on divorce —Wife

A man, Abass, has approached Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, to seek that it dissolve the union between him and his wife, Bolaji, on the grounds of disobedience, adultery and threat to his life by the latter.

Abass stated that Bolaji was troublesome and made their home non-conducive for him and his first wife.

Abass also said that he almost lost his job after Bolaji extended her unruly behaviour to his office, where she came to fight him and turned the whole premises upside down.

According to him, the timely intervention of the police saved the situation.

The plaintiff added further that Bolaji sent his first wife packing, while he also moved out of their house a few months after this when it became obvious she was bent on snuffing life out of him.

Abass explained that Bolaji threw caution in the air immediately he moved out of the house and started bringing her lovers into the house.

These men, he stated, did spend the night with her.

The plaintiff said he went home early one morning and saw the defendant seeing one of them off.

Abass told the court he has had enough of his wife’s atrocities and thus prayed for the dissolution of their union.

According to the plaintiff, the defendant took to threatening him since he dragged her to court.

Bolaji refused that their union be dissolved, giving the welfare of the only child produced by their union as excuse.

Abass in his testimony said, “Bolaji and I met in 2019 and I paid her bride price.

“I already had a wife when I met her, and the three of us were living together after she moved in with me.

“Bolaji started misbehaving early in our marriage.

“She was always at loggerheads with my first wife; she showed no regard for her and sought every opportunity to fight her.

“Any time I tried to caution her, she would flare up and accuse me of taking sides with her rival.

“Peace deserted us in the home because Bolaji made it hell to live in.

“Bolaji fought me and my first wife on regular basis.

“I almost lost my job when she came to my office to fight me.

“It took the intervention of the policemen before sanity could be restored.

“The embarrassment and shame he exposed me to have not left me till date.

“Bolaji made my first wife life so miserable that she packed her belongings and moved out of the house.

“I saw hell in the few months I was left alone with Bolaji; she almost snuffed life out of me.

“I had no choice than to move out our house.

“Bolaji threw caution in the air immediately I left our home.

“She started dating other men and even had the audacity to bring them into our home.

“These men normally spent the night with her.

“I decided to visit home one faithful day very early in the morning and I saw her seeing one of her lovers off.

“My lord, I can no longer tolerate Bolaji’s loose and indecent lifestyle.

“She now threatens and swears to make my life miserable and unbearable.

“I pray this honourable court to rule that we are no longer husband and wife.

“I in addition request an order restricting her from threatening me.”

Bolaji responded, “My lord, he lied that he paid my bride price.

“We did not hold any marital rites, neither was I handed over to him by my parents.

“I do not agree to divorce because of our child’s welfare.

“I have a child from my first marriage and do not want our child’s fate to be like that of my first child.

“But if the court eventually dissolves our marriage, I plead that it mandates my husband to give me N30, 000 every month for our child’s feeding.”

The court president, Mrs O.E. Owoseni, gave her judgement after she had heard both parties state that the plaintiff did not cross-examine the defendant in respect of non-payment of bride price and subsequent handing over to him as wife.

Owoseni stated that he has by implication admitted that he did not pay bride price nor was handed over to him as wife.

She added that the ingredients validating marriage under customary law was absent, which meant that they were never married, but merely cohabiting.

Consequently, there was no marriage to be dissolved.

Owoseni further stated that since the plaintiff was no longer interested in cohabiting with the defendant, both parties were, therefore, ordered to go their different ways.

She also explained that based on the unchallenged evidence that the defendant was fond of fighting and causing trouble, the defendant was restrained from harassing, threatening, disturbing and or interfering with the plaintiff’s private life.

The defendant was granted custody of their child, while the plaintiff was given reasonable access to him.

The plaintiff was ordered to pay N30,000 monthly to the defendant for their child’s upkeep.