Fraud: Businessman forfeits five houses, N46m to FG

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of five houses and a total sum of N46.060 million belonging to Hima Aboubakar and Societe D’ Equipment International Nigeria Limited, to the Federal Government. The assets are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The final forfeiture order was granted by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice A.I Chikere. Aboubakar, a businessman and his firm, Societe D’ Equipment International Nigeria Limited, were dragged before the Federal High Court by the EFCC, on account of assets and properties acquired with suspected proceeds of unlawful activities.
In an application for the final forfeiture of the assets filed by EFCC counsels: Abba Muhammed and M. A Lamin, in Suit No: FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 507/ 2020, prayers were made that the assets be forfeited to the government. Justice Chikere, after reviewing the requirements for the forfeiture, said that “the applicant has satisfied the condition for grant of reliefs sought and accordingly the reliefs sought are granted as prayed”. He subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the properties and money to the government.
The five properties forfeited include: House Number 6, Ethiopia Close, Off Owena close, Maitama Abuja; Plot 3515, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja; Plot 3516, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja; Plot 3518, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja and Plot 3519, Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja. Also, a total sum of N46, 060, 373.84( Forty Six Million, Sixty Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand Naira, Eighty Four kobo only), found in the bank accounts of Aboubakar and his firm, were also forfeited to the government.
The breakdown of the money include N1, 143, 314.50, found in the Zenith Bank Account Number 1013860768 of Societe D’ Equipment International Nigeria Limited( SEINL) and the sum of $ 66, 417.60 found in the Zenith Bank Account Number 5070345440 of SEINL. Others are: N5, 802, 925.03 in Aboubakar’s Zenith Bank Account Number: 1004540143, €15, 288.08 in Zenith Bank Account Number: 5080095319 and $17, 607.75 in his Zenith Bank Account Number: 5070410935. The sum of N 304,864,81 in Aboubakar’s First Bank Account Number: 3083229135 was also forfeited to the government.
Aboubakar’s troubles came when he was declared wanted by the EFCC in a case of criminal conspiracy, contract scam, misappropriation of public funds, money laundering and fraud to the tune of $394million, €9.9million and N369million. He allegedly received the funds for the purchase of equipment for the Nigerian Military and investigations revealed discrepancies in the supply of the equipment.