A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned until October 16, 2026, hearing of an application by businessman, Abdullahi Saidu, seeking to set aside an interim forfeiture order obtained against some of his properties by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had secured the interim order to preserve the properties pending the conclusion of investigations into allegations of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and obtaining money by false pretence.
However, the matter could not proceed on Friday after EFCC counsel, J.N. Dongonyaro, informed the court that the commission was yet to file its counter-affidavit in response to Saidu’s application challenging the forfeiture order.
Justice Musa Liman consequently adjourned the matter to October 16 for hearing.
The properties listed in the interim forfeiture order include two units of four-bedroom semi-detached duplexes at Aliyu Villa, Brick City Phase 1, Kubwa, Abuja.
Also affected are a three-bedroom terrace duplex at Tungan Yakubu, along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, two landed properties identified as Plots C1 and C2, and Ngeil Supermarket Plaza at Sabon Wuse, Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The EFCC obtained the order through an ex parte application filed pursuant to provisions of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004 and the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
In its application, the commission told the court that preliminary investigations indicated that the properties were allegedly acquired with proceeds of fraud.
The application was supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Sale Shuaibu, an EFCC operative investigating allegations against Saidu and others.
According to the commission, the investigation followed a petition by Alhaji Adamu Ya’u, who alleged that Saidu, allegedly acting with Kamal Oladayo Soetan and Adamu Abdullahi Yerima, also known as Adamu Waziri, defrauded him in a purported diamond transaction.
The EFCC said the suspects allegedly represented to Ya’u that they owned 30 parcels of diamond pallets weighing about 50.210kg, as well as 22 parcels of rough diamonds, which they offered to sell to him.
The petitioner allegedly paid various sums demanded for purported clearance and other expenses connected with the shipment.
The EFCC alleged that Saidu collected $773,000 in instalments, purportedly for clearing the consignment at a Nigerian port.
Soetan allegedly collected another $553,000 to pay Customs officers, while Yerima allegedly received $672,000 in instalments for purported final clearance by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The petitioner put the total amount allegedly lost at about N2.5 billion.
The EFCC alleged that despite the payments, the purported diamond consignment was never delivered.
The commission also said its investigation found that the claims that payments were being made to the DSS for clearance at the ports were allegedly false.
According to the affidavit, the suspects were initially arrested by the DSS over alleged impersonation but were later released following a court order and subsequently went into hiding.
The EFCC further alleged that investigations established that no diamond consignment existed as represented and that Saidu allegedly used his share of the proceeds to acquire the properties listed in the forfeiture order.
The commission therefore asked the court to preserve the properties through interim forfeiture pending the conclusion of investigations and other legal proceedings.
It argued that the order was necessary to prevent the properties from being sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of while the investigation continued.
Saidu is, however, challenging the interim forfeiture order and has asked the court to set it aside.
The court will now hear his application on October 16, 2026.
