A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday ordered the temporary forfeiture of some property worth ₦1.8billion allegedly belonging to Tuoyo Omatsuli, the Executive Director, Projects, of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Federal Government.

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court gave the order following an ex parte order filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, in the application, prayed the court to grant the forfeiture of the said properties which include: Block 117, Plot 4, Lekki Peninsula Scheme; TP40 992, Ikate Ancient City, Eti-Osa L.G.A., Lagos, measuring 1,804.089 sqm and Plots 1-18, Block 43, TPAO 992, Ikate Ancient City, Lekki Peninsula, Eti-Osa L.G.A measuring 10,000sqm.

Others are Plot 1b, Northern Business District, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, measuring 1,000 sqm and Plot 1, Block 25 Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Eti-Osa L.G.A. measuring 2,989.10sqm.

Moving the application, Iheanacho referred to paragraph four of the affidavit which detailed how a contractor with the NDDC, Starline Consultancy Services Limited, was paid ₦10.2 billion as consultancy fees for levies collected from oil processing companies in the Niger Delta region.

He disclosed that out of the money paid to Starline, ₦3.6 billion was paid as kickback to Omatsuli through a company named Building Associates Limited.

He added: “Some of the funds were used by Building Associates Limited to buy properties in the name of a company, Don Parker Properties Limited, where Omatsuli had majority shareholding.”

After hearing the submissions as well as the applications, Justice Obiozor granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant and ordered the forfeiture of the said properties.

The Judge further directed the anti-graft agency to publish the order in any national daily within 14 days, notifying the respondents or anyone interested in the properties to appear before the court and show why the said properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.