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Lagos: Court grants EFCC’s request for permanent forfeiture of suspect property

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The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday ordered the final forfeiture of a property suspected to have been acquired with proceeds from unlawful activities.

Vacation judge, Justice Deinde Dipeolu, ruled that the property, situated at 26 Tolu Road, Olodi Apapa, within Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The order followed a motion on notice filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, represented by its counsel, Hannatu Kofarnaisa.

In January 2025, the court had initially granted an interim forfeiture of the property and directed that the order be published in a national newspaper to allow any interested parties to appear and show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited.

During Friday’s proceedings, Kofarnaisa informed the court that no objections had been filed within the 14-day period provided after the publication, thereby paving the way for the final forfeiture.

The application was further supported by an affidavit sworn by Gyal Maina Gapani, an EFCC operative.

After reviewing the submissions, Justice Dipeolu found merit in the EFCC’s application and granted an order for the permanent forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government of Nigeria, in favour of Sterling Bank Plc.

In the affidavit, Gapani had stated, “that the Commission on the 18th day of July 2022, received a petition from Sterling Bank PLC bothering on criminal conversion of funds and stealing of funds belonging to the bank wherein an unauthorized transfer of huge sums of money was done.
“The petitioner alleged that the unauthorized transfer of funds was due to a system glitch in the bank wherein the total sum of N295.916,201.02 (Two Hundred and Ninety Five Million, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Two Hundred and One Naira Two Kobo) was stolen by some customers of the bank and same converted to their own personal use.

“That as of the time the said customers allegedly stole the said sum, they do not have a corresponding sum in their accounts.

“That the alleged sum was stolen via PayAttitude Global Limited, which is an e-bank wallet and a payment scheme of the Sterling Bank Plc.

“That the commission wrote a letter to Pay Attitude Global LTD and they responded vide a letter dated 17th March 2023 forwarding the payment transaction scheme of the said Ojora Sulaimon Kehinde.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that due to the system glitch, one of the suspects, by name Ojora Sulaimon Kehinde, criminally converted the total sum of N89,000,000 (Eighty Nine Million Naira) belonging to Sterling Bank PLC.

“That in a bid to launder and fraudulently conceal the said sum, he transferred a substantial part of the said sum to his wife, Aminat Olatanwa Ojora, vide her bank account number domiciled with Sterling Bank PLC.

“That as at the time the said Ojora Sulalmon Kehinde transferred the said monies to the account of Aminat Olatanwa Ojora, his wife, using the PayAttitude platform to be used for the purchase of the property now sought to be forfeited.

“That the said Ojora Suleimon Kehinde did not have the corresponding sum in his account as at the time he transferred the monies to his wife.

“That the said Ojora Sulaimon Kehinde procured his wife to transfer the sum of 17,000,000 (Seventeen Mlilion Naira) to one Chuksy Odozy Osazuwa account number domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc for the purchase of a property situate and located at No 26. Tolu Road, Olodi Apapa, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, now sought to be forfeited”.

“That Ojora Sulaimon Kehinde procured his brother Muritala Sulaimon Kehinde to front for him in the purchase and execution of the deed of assignment for the purchase of the said property situated and located at No 26. Tolu Road, Olodi Apapa, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, now sought to be forfeited”.

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Nigerians now banned from traveling to US as Trump expands travel restriction list

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday, December 16, signed a proclamation further restricting entry into the United States for nationals of countries identified as high risk due to what the White House described as persistent and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting and information sharing that threaten national security and public safety.

Among the 15 additional countries placed under partial entry restrictions is Nigeria. The decision was announced in a fact sheet published on the White House website on December 16, 2025, titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”.

The White House said the move was aimed at strengthening national security through what it called common sense restrictions based on data.

The proclamation maintains full entry restrictions on nationals from the original 12 countries previously listed under Proclamation 10949. These countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

It also introduces full restrictions on five additional countries, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, as well as individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously under partial restrictions, have now been placed under full restrictions.

Nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo and Venezuela remain subject to partial restrictions.

In addition, the proclamation imposes partial entry restrictions on 15 more countries. These include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The fact sheet states that exemptions remain in place for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories such as athletes and diplomats, and individuals whose entry is deemed to serve United States national interests.

 

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IMO OPENS NEW ECONOMIC FRONTIER AS UZODIMMA COMMISSIONS NOVA BANK REGIONAL OFFICE IN OWERRI.

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By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
16- DEC- 2025

Imo State took another decisive step toward economic expansion on Monday, December 15, 2025, as Governor Hope Uzodimma formally inaugurated the regional headquarters of Nova Bank in Owerri, signalling the state’s growing appeal as an investment destination.

While addressing guests at the commissioning ceremony, the governor noted that deliberate reforms, sustained infrastructural development, and a more business-friendly policy environment have steadily repositioned Imo State to attract credible investors. He described Nova Bank’s choice of Owerri as a strategic endorsement of the state’s economic viability and long-term growth prospects.

Governor Uzodimma praised the Chairman of Nova Bank, Mr. Philip Oduozor, for his experience and leadership within the financial sector, assuring the institution of continued government collaboration. He added that the arrival of Nova Bank, alongside the recent establishment of Access Bank’s regional headquarters in the state, reflects increasing confidence by the private sector in Imo’s economic direction.

Reiterating his administration’s vision, the governor emphasized ongoing efforts to transition Imo from a largely leisure-based economy into a competitive commercial centre. He pointed to significant investments in road networks, security architecture, digital systems, power supply, and overall ease of doing business, while encouraging Nova Bank to expand its footprint in the state, including consideration of Owerri for its corporate headquarters.

In his remarks, Mr. Oduozor explained that Nova Bank, which began operations in 2018 as a merchant bank, has now secured a full commercial banking licence. He stated that the bank intends to play a critical role in financing small and medium-scale enterprises across Imo State and the wider South East region by improving access to credit.

The commissioning ceremony ended with a guided inspection of the new facilities by Governor Uzodimma and top executives of the bank, marking another milestone in Imo State’s economic transformation drive.

 

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Actress Doris Ogala doubles down on claims against Pastor Chris Okafor, insists on compensation or marriage

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Actress Doris Ogala has intensified her allegations against Pastor Chris Okafor, insisting she was in a long-term relationship with him from 2017 and was promised marriage.

Speaking emotionally, Doris claimed she supported the pastor privately, bought gifts for his children, and stayed loyal for years, only to be abandoned when he decided to marry someone else.

She accused those online, including Dee One, of taking money to do “damage control,” stressing that her demands are legal, not blackmail. According to her, she is seeking compensation for emotional damage, career loss, and broken promises, adding that her lawyer is already preparing formal demands.

Doris also admitted to phone-based intimacy during her troubled marriage but denied any physical affair at the time. She maintained she has evidence to back her claims and alleged she is not the only woman Pastor Chris promised marriage.

“I’m not backing down. This is my right,” she said, warning that she is ready to speak fully if pushed further.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVHaVegjI7/?igsh=ZG1jNWNnZjN4YWZt

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