Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

High court upholds EFCC's forfeiture request on FIRS employee's properties

POSTED ON April 4, 2025 •   METRO      BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara
Federal Inland Revenue Service Chairman,Zacch Adedeji

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of two properties linked to Aminu Garunbaba, a worker at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, to the federal government.

The real estate includes a four-bedroom terrace maisonette with BQ situated in Barumark Groove Estate, Plot 667, Cadastral Zone BO3, Wuye District, Abuja, which Garunbaba acquired under the name of MYZ Venture. The second property is located at No. 5 Lodge Road, Kano, also reported to have been bought by Garunbaba.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled that Garunbaba did not provide evidence of the means by which he purchased the properties. The judge stated that he failed to demonstrate that the funds used for the purchases came from legitimate earnings. “A person cannot benefit from illegitimate acts,” he remarked.

The judge dismissed Garunbaba's preliminary objection, noting that he did not meet the burden of proof regarding the paragraphs in the EFCC’s application that he claimed violated the Evidence Act.

He concurred with EFCC counsel, Martha Babatunde, that a public officer could be investigated and prosecuted prior to any administrative disciplinary action.

The EFCC filed the case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/876/2021 against Aminu Sidi Garunbaba as the sole respondent, with a motion on notice dated March 16, 2022, but submitted on March 21, 2022. The agency sought a final court order to forfeit the properties listed in Schedule 1 as they were believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The EFCC presented four arguments, asserting that the court possessed the necessary statutory authority under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 to grant the requested relief. It stated, “The properties implicated are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In support of the motion, EFCC operative Apagu Wudah stated in an affidavit that extensive investigations into the assets were conducted.

He mentioned being assigned to probe an intelligence report concerning criminal conspiracy, theft, abuse of office, and money laundering involving some FIRS staff.

Wudah disclosed that between 2017 and 2018, Garunbaba and other FIRS staff had conspired to fraudulently obtain millions of naira under the pretense of duty tour allowances for trips they did not undertake.

As part of the illicit operation, they applied for DTA for non-existent trips. Upon receiving the DTA payment, staff would take 10 to 15 percent as their share while passing the remainder to senior officials, some of whom also retained a percentage before forwarding the rest to the former director of finance and the coordinating director.

According to Wudah, Garunbaba disclosed in his extra-judicial statement made on May 23, 2019, that he distributed a total amount of N269,335,750 among several individuals—Peter Hena (N145,000,000), Bello Auta (N95,000,000), and Aminu Sidi (N29,336,750).

He stated that this money was handed over in cash at the FIRS office.

The investigator further explained that Garunbaba received portions of the misappropriated funds via his Stanbic IBTC Bank account number 9301540597, while others were received in cash from colleagues.

He also converted most of these funds into US dollars through a bureau de change operator, Wan Jafar Shehu.

In the year 2018, Garunbaba bought the four-bedroom terrace maisonette from Barumark Investment and Development Company Ltd for N65 million, paid through his First Bank account number 3040986059 to Barumark’s First Bank account.

He purchased the property at No. 5 Lodge Road in Kano for N39 million from Alakhillau Enterprises, operated by Adamu Muhammed.

Wudah concluded that Garunbaba, as a public servant with a fixed salary, did not use his lawful income to acquire the aforementioned properties, which were purchased at a time he was both receiving and diverting funds paid as DTA by the FIRS.

 

READ ALSO
Police Arrest Six After Abuja Market Killing
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 4, 2025 0

At least six suspects connected to the killing that led to unrest at Gosa Market on Airport Road in...

READ ALSO
Former Arsenal Star Thomas Partey Charged with Multiple Sexual Offences
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 4, 2025 0

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been formally charged with several sexual offences by th...

READ ALSO
Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Dies Days After Wedding
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 3, 2025 0

The forward for Liverpool and the Portugal national team, Diogo Jota, has tragically died at the age...

READ ALSO
EFCC Nabs 18 Young Men in Major Internet Fraud Bust
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 3, 2025 0

In its ongoing campaign against illicit activities, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EF...

READ ALSO
Man Arrested for Brutal Killing of His Mother
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 1, 2025 0

A heartbreaking case of matricide has rocked the Dantanoma quarters in Gumel Local Government Area o...

READ ALSO
Nigerian Deported After Conviction for Smuggling Fake $100,000
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 1, 2025 0

A Nigerian, Aremu Adegboyega, has been convicted by a Circuit Court in Accra, Ghana, for attempting...

READ ALSO
NDLEA Nabs Ex-International Player in Major Drug Bust
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 29, 2025 0

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has detained former international footballer Segun...

READ ALSO
NDLEA Seizes Over 6,700 kg of Illicit Drugs in Cross River, Arrests 191 Suspects
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 28, 2025 0

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported the destruction of 30 hectares of cann...

OUR CHANNELS:

Nigerian States Accumulate N417.7 Billion in Domestic Debt Amid Rising FAAC Revenue
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

At least 10 Nigerian states have cumulatively increased their domestic debt by N417.7 billion from t...


Governor Otti Facilitates Release of Inmates After 26 Years
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Saturday welcomed three Nigerians who were released after spendi...


Tinubu Pledges to Eliminate Bureaucratic Hurdles in Agriculture During Bilateral Talks with Brazil
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu expressed his commitment on Saturday to his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio...


Sowore Condemns Tenure Extensions of Senior Security Officials for Violating 35-Year Service Limit
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 7, 2025 0

Human rights advocate and ex-presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the ongoing tenur...


Eight Dead, Eight Injured as Commercial Bus Crashes into Truck
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

Just 48 hours after a road accident in Ogun State resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, another...


Nigerian Investors Launch $5 Billion Cooperative Trust Fund to Empower MSMEs
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

A coalition of Nigerian investors has introduced a Cooperative Trust Fund valued at $5 billion, aime...


Nnamdi Kanu's Release Not a Condition for South-East Support of Tinubu- Umahi
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

In light of calls for the release of the detained Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the banned Indigenous Peopl...


Real Madrid Edges Borussia Dortmund 3–2 in Thrilling FIFA Club World Cup Clash
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 6, 2025 0

Real Madrid emerged victorious from a heart-stopping 3–2 thriller against Borussia Dortmund in...


NCDC Reports 781 Confirmed Lassa Fever Cases in Nigeria
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 8, 2025 0

Nigeria has reported 145 fatalities attributed to Lassa fever, which corresponds to a case fatality...


Flood: 27 Lives Lost, Hundreds Displaced Amid Ongoing Rescue Efforts in Kerr County
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 6, 2025 0

At least 27 people have been confirmed dead, with many more displaced due to flash flooding in Kerr...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu