February 16, 2022

Some Nigerians said they have noticed a pattern of bias in the manner the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, quickly publishes the identity of unknown criminals including suspects but would hide the identity of the rich and powerful ones.

The anti-graft commission has a tradition of publishing the pictures of suspects or convicts on its social media pages especially Facebook.

However, some Nigerians said they have discovered that the faces (pictures) of the rich are not published in the same manner pictures of the unknown crooks were boldly displayed by the EFCC.

They referenced the recent case in which Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court on Monday February 14, ordered the final forfeiture of 24 properties held by fronts and proxies for an unnamed top military officer, to the Federal Government.

The EFCC did not name the top military officer, neither did it publish his picture. The EFCC critics said if it was an unknown Nigerian that was involved in the case, the EFCC would have displayed the person’s identity. They urge fairness on the part of the EFCC.

The Order was pursuant to a forfeiture application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which had in May 2020 secured the forfeiture of the properties on interim basis.

The court had ordered the publication of notices in national newspapers, inviting persons with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Some Nigerians argue that the EFCC would have traced the identity of the military officer through the identified proxies or through the registered companies at Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.

The 24 properties scattered across Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River States, comprise land, shopping complex, gas station and fuel stations cumulatively valued at N10, 935,000,000.00. (Ten Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira)

The properties are:

A 16 Pump filling Station located at Rijiyar Lemo, Kano.

A Filling Station with 41 pumps located opposite Federal Secretariat, Kano.

A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along BUK Road, Kano.

A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Zaria Bypass, Kano.

A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.

A Filling Station with 29 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.

A Filling Station with 23 pumps located along Naibawa , Kano.

A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along Bachirawa, Kano.

A Filling Station with 51 pumps and a one-storey building with 35 shops attached to the Filling Station located along Shiek Ja’afar Road Dorayi, Kano.

An LPG plant with 30 shops attached to it located along Zaria Road, Kano.

Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdullahi Road, Farm Centre, Kano.

A three storey building (Plaza) With 28 shops located on Hadeja Road, next to Sheshe Supermarket , Kano.

A three-storey building (Plaza) with 126 shops located on Audu Bako Way, Opposite Nation Plaza, Kano.

Classic Block Industry at Maiduguri Road, Kano.

Atlasfield Corporate Headquarters, No. L6 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna.

Undeveloped plot located at Sharada, Adjacent A.A. Rano Filling Station, Kano.

Undeveloped plot located at Yan Rake, Adjacent Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano.

Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, Adjacent Kedco Regional Office, Kano North/Opposite Silver Spoon Restaurant, Kano.

Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, opposite Markaz Mosque, Kano.

Undeveloped plot located on Sani Marshal Road, Opposite Nissan Automobile, Kano.

11.7 hectares located Adjacent TINAPA Resort, Adiabo, Calabar. 22. Truck Assembly Plant, Easter Bypass, Kano.

Event Center located in Calabar, Cross River State.

Aflac Plastics Limited located behind National Eye Center, Kaduna.

v Find attached photographs of some of the properties.