The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 5 to take arguments on whether or not, two Ikoyi houses belonging to former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Justice Mohammed Liman had on October 21 ordered the temporary forfeiture of the houses, “lying and known as No. 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi,” to the government.

He had ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publish the temporary forfeiture order in a national newspaper.

The judge adjourned until November 7 for anyone interested in the houses to appear before him to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the government.

At the resumed proceedings on Thursday, EFCC’s counsel, Abdullahi Idris, told the judge that the order was published in The Nation newspaper as ordered by the judge.

The judge, thereafter, fixed December 5 to hear from Dr Saraki and any other interested party on why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.

The EFCC had told the judge it reasonably suspected that the properties were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.

It alleged in a supporting affidavit that the former Senate President, who served two terms as Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011, “withdrew over N12 billion cash from the account of the Kwara State Government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith Banks through one of his personal assistants, Abdul Adama, at different intervals.”