The federal government has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to freeze undeclared assets traced to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. The federal government, in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/284/2018, asked the court for an interim court order “temporarily attaching/forfeiting the properties listed in Schedule B hereunder, to the Federal Government of Nigeria, pending the conclusion of further inquiry/investigation by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property and/or possible arraignment of the Respondent”.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, MrFestus Keyamo, SAN, filed the motion on behalf of the government. While nine of the properties are in Nigeria, two are in London, eight are in Dubai and three in the United States of America.
The federal government hinged the motion on section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, section 8 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act, section 44 (2) (K) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
It listed as Schedule A, 19 properties Ekweremadu declared in the Assets Declaration Form he submitted before the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, on June 5, 2015, seven properties he declared on June 1, 2007, as well as details of his investments in and outside Nigeria, including his shares, debentures & other securities.
Specifically, properties contained in the Schedule B, which federal government is seeking to seize from Ekweremadu over his failure to declare them, are located at No. 11, Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja, Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja, Housing Estate (Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja, Plot 2782 Asokoro Extension, Abuja, Houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Plot 1474 Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi, Abuja, Congress Court, Abuja, Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street, (24th Street) Games Village, Abuja and Plot 66, 64 Crescent, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.
Those in London are Flat 4 Varsity Court, Harmer Street, WIH 4NW, London, 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6 7AB, London.
Other properties in Dubai and USA are; Room 1903, The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai, The Address Boulevard, 3901, Dubai, 2 Flats of Burij Side Boulevard (the signature), Dubai, Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/1/114, Dubai, Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/115, Dubai, Apartment No. DFB/12/B 1204, Park Towers, Dubai, Flat 3604, MAG214, Dubai and Villa No 148, Maeen 1, The Lakes Emirates Hills, Dubai.
As well as 4507 Stella Street, Bellavida Estate Kissime, Florida, USA, 2747 Club Cortile Circle, Kissime, Florida, USA and 2763 Club Cortile Circle, Kissime, Florida, USA.
Meanwhile, FG listed assets it said Ekweremadu declared in 2015 as “5 Bedroom Duplex & Boys Quarters, House A40 Apo Quarters, Apo, Abuja (purportedly acquired with a loan of N13.5 Million from Bank PHB);
“10 Bedroom House with Guest Chalet & Boy Quarters, 2 Jim Nwobodo Street, Apo, Abuja (purportedly acquired with a mortgage loan of N412, 200, 000.00 from Aso Savings & Loan);
“7 Bedroom House with Pent House & Boy quarters, Plot 147A Mabushi, Abuja (purportedly valued at N3, 471, 922.1 acquired with salaries & allowances);
“2 RM Apartment, MAG 214 Dubai (purportedly bought for $ 50,000.00); 4 Bedroom Town House, The Lake Dubai (purportedly bought for $20,000.00); 4 RM Town House, Florida (he claims he bought this House from a loan of $155,000.00 gotten from PHB)
“Plots 2 & 10, Republic Layout, Enugu (undeveloped land, purportedly valued at N4 Million); Plot 1518, Maitama Extension, Abuja undeveloped land (purportedly valued at N10 Million); Plot 2882, Asokoro Extension, Abuja (purportedly valued at N13 Million);
“2 RM Apartment, Burjside Boulevard, Dubai, UAE (he claims he bought it for $250,000.00); One Room Apartment, Emirate Garden, Dubai, UAE (He claims he bought it for $60,000.00);
“Park Tower, Dubai, UAE (He claims he bought it for $250,000.00); 3 Room Town House (2), Club Corticle, Orlando, USA (he claims he bought this property for $200,000.00); 4 Room House, Plot 1496 AI Thannyah, Fourth, Dubai, UAE (he claims he bought this property for $250,000.00);
“4 Bedroom Terrace House, Games Village; 6 Bedroom Storey House & Boys Quarters, Amachara MPU, Enugu; 4 Bedroom House and Boy Quarters, Federal Housing Estate, Enugu; 3000 Square Meters of undeveloped land at Amachara, MPU, Enugu; 5 Hectares of land, Tutu District, Abuja”.
It gave details of investments, in and outside Nigeria (Shares, Debentures & Other Securities), which Ekweremadu declared in 2015, as; “5, 100,000 – Citi Park Luxury Hotels Ltd (purportedly valued at N350 Million); 8, 000, 000 – Prime & Power Media Ltd ((purportedly valued at N30 Million);
“300,000,000 – Bety Air Ltd ((purportedly valued at N5 Million); 40, 000 – Prime & Power Konsult Ltd ((purportedly valued at N42 Million); 50,000 – Power Properties Ltd (purportedly valued at N50 Million); 70,000 – Spider Construction Ltd (purportedly valued at N35 Million)”.
Similarly, it listed assets Ekweremadu declared in 2007 as, “4 Bedroom Terrace House, Games Village, Abuja, A Storey Building at Amachara (MPU) (Country home), A Storey Building & Boy Quarters with Boys Quarters at Federal Housing, Enugu; Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja;
“2644.60 Square meters of undeveloped Land at Asokoro, Abuja; 1000.577 Square meters, Kurubuma Layout, Abuja, 3000 Square meters, Amachara MPU”.
While details of his declared investments was given as; “40, 000 – Prime & Power Konsult Ltd (purportedly valued at N40 Million); 50,000 – Prime Properties Ltd (purportedly valued at N50 Million); 70,000 – Spider Construction Ltd (purportedly valued at N36 Million).
“5, 100,000 – Citi Park Luxury Hotels Ltd (purportedly valued at N350 Million); 8, 000, 000 – Prime & Power Media Ltd ((purportedly valued at N30 Million); 300,000,000 – Bety Air Ltd ((purportedly valued at N5 Million);
40, 000 – Prime & Power Konsult Ltd ((purportedly valued at N42 Million); 50,000 – Power Properties Ltd (purportedly valued at N50 Million); and 70,000 – Spider Construction Ltd (purportedly valued at N35 Million)”.
FG told the court that on-going investigation/inquiries revealed that the properties listed in Schedule B belonged to Ekweremadu as at the time he declared his assets.
