Where are the 2 Trillion Naira Assets EFCC Has Siezed So Far??

The House of Representatives yesterday mandated its Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes to investigate the status of all seized and sold assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission since its inception, valued at over N2 trillion.

The House took this decision after adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Toby Okechukwu and 15 of his colleagues.

According to the sponsors of the motion, the EFCC had in the past confiscated over 200 mansions through 46 forfeiture court orders without any concise account of the state of the assets.

Presenting the motion, Okechukwu argued that the EFCC had, within its mandate, at many times confiscated, through court orders, assets from accused and convicted persons, including prominent Nigerians and corporate organisations.

He noted that the Assets Forfeiture Unit of the anti-graft agency was set up in 2008 with the mandate of ensuring that all assets forfeited to the federal government through the EFCC were identified and verifiable.

According to him, these forfeited assets, estimated at over N2 trillion, comprised landed properties and business concerns, bank accounts, shares in blue chip companies, exotic vehicles, fuel stations, hotels, warehouses, shopping malls, schools, bakeries, housing estates and radio stations in and outside Nigeria.

The lawmaker lamented that there have been reports of vandalism, abandonment and wastage of some of these seized assets.

He expressed dismay that there was lack of clarity as to the utilisation of these assets while litigations on the substantive corruption cases were ongoing in the courts.

He also said that there has been a reported breach of the seal of the EFCC and attempts at unlawful and forceful repossession by those whose properties have been confiscated.

Okechukwu told his colleagues that the House has a challenge to take a look at the reported rot of over 400 cars seized from some prominent Nigerians.

According to him, the right thing that should have been done was for these assets to be put under the management of professional managers who could have used them to generate revenue for the country.

Although the House commended the EFCC for its diligence in the process of obtaining forfeiture order through the courts, the lawmakers resolved that there was need for proper management of these assets, hence the investigation.

How my daughter was killed by her boyfriend – Bereaved father

This is certainly not the best of times for the Bournes’ family which is currently mourning following the alleged killing of Olayinde Bournes’, by her boyfriend,last Thursday, in Aguda Ogba area of Lagos.
The deceased, a 22-year-old par time student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, was allegedly beaten to death by her boyfriend over an unknown reason.
Crime Guard gathered that the 200 level Business Administration student had gone to bid her boyfriend, Abuchi Cyril, 24, goodbye , as the latter was reportedly planning to travel to Malasia next day (Friday), unknown to her that would be her final sojourn on earth.
Although it could not be ascertained what transpired between the love birds behind closed doors but it was gathered that rather than being entertained in his parents’ apartment located on number 25 Shorimade Street, Aguda Ogba, Abuchi took Olayinde to a neighbours apartment, who at that time was away.
But apprehension, set in, after several calls on Olayinde’s phone by her father, met dead silence. Just as he reportedly stepped outside to see if his daughter was anywhere around, he met some persons in group discussing what was later discovered to be her daughter’s demise.
During a visit to the late Olayinde’s family’s house, her devastated father who offered to speak with Crime Guard said, “ I was at home around 11am that fateful day while my late daughter was outside the house with her mother, all dressed up. I later walked up to them and asked when she would be going to work. And she said she would first go to the bank to submit her account opening form which would enable her receive her monthly salary because she was just employed by Cadbury Plc. Satisfied with the answer, I went back inside to rest because I haven’t been feeling very well for some time.
“ I later learnt that she told her mother she would first go and see her boyfriend Abuchi, who called her earlier to come and see his travelling documents, as he was supposed to travel next day to Malaysia. That was the last we saw of her.
“At about 12:25pm, I dialled her number. It rang but there was no response. I called again around 12:30pm, it rang and still no response. Later, the phone was switched off. I and my wife became worried at that point because we could not say what was wrong with her.
At about 4pm, I decided to stroll round. But when I got outside, I noticed a crowd which turned towards my direction but noone spoke to me. Confused, I went inside and told my wife about what I observed.
Later I sent her to go and purchase some ingredients to prepare super. When she came back, she also told me the crowd stared at her also. Just as we were contemplating on what to do, our fears was confirmed as a young man among the crowd rushed inside and yelled ‘ it has happened o! When we demanded what the matter was, he broke the news of my daughter’s demise. At that instant, my world was shattered. He also told us the corpse was just brought to a nearby hospital. I rushed to the hospital with the hope that I would see her alive. But no, I only saw her remains.
Tell me, should I start preparing towards having another child at this age?”, he asked , trying hard not to betray his emotion.
What went wrong?
Abuchi as gathered, was arrested by policemen attached to Area ‘G’ Ogba, command, from where he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID, Yaba. In his statement to the Police, he reportedly said while he was with Olayinde, she suddenly screamed ‘my head’, before she slumped.
But findings by the police as gathered, revealed that the mattress in the room where Olayinde’s dead body was found was socked with blood. The mattress was reportedly turned upside down before the arrival of policemen. But during a search of the apartment ,blood , suspected to be from Olayinde, was discovered under the bed and later traced to the mattress turned upside down.
Another puzzle that needs to be unravelled was the report that a nurse was reportedly invited by Abuchi while he was with Olayinde. A resident who pleaded anonymity told Crime Guard that :“ We suspect there could be more to all this than meet the eyes. First, the corpse was inside the room three hours before it was taken to the hospital. Why did it take him that long to rush her to the hospital? Abuchi even called in a nurse while he was inside with Olayinde. The nurse we learnt, carried out some treatment on Olayinde. What went wrong that made him invite the nurse? She was even the one that accompanied Abuchi to the hospital where she works, with Olayinde’s body. It was when Olayinde was pronounced dead that she bolted, pretending she was going to get a taxi”, the resident said.
The nurse with an undisclosed identity was reportedly arrested by the Police and later released, an action the bereaved family queried. The deceased’s phone as gathered, was also discovered to be missing.
Police sources hinted that some finger marks were discovered on the deceased neck and her camisole stained with blood. But sources could however not state exactly what led to the death of Olayinde, until the autopsy result will be out.
A Christian wake was held at the deceased apartment, located on 17, Muibi street Aguda Ogba, Thursday, while her remains was interred Friday at Atan cemetery, Yaba.