A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to notify some members of the family of the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina about its request for a permanent forfeiture of the 23 landed properties he allegedly acquired illegally.

The court had on October 22 this year granted an ex-parte order of interim forfeiture, allowing the EFCC to temporarily take possession of the assets.

The court equally ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national daily to enable interested parties make claim to the properties, failing which they would be permanently forfeited to the government.

When the EFCC returned to the court yesterday with a motion on notice for an order of permanent forfeiture, Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo noted that although Maina was served with the motion, there was no evidence that the others, in whose names the EFCC claimed the properties were bought, had been served with the fresh motion.

EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar noted that it may be difficult for his agency to serve all those in whose names Maina allegedly acquired the properties.

Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo directed Abubakar to apply for substituted service to enable him publish the new motion in a national daily as he did with the ex-parte interim forfeiture order.

When Abubakar said he will file an ex-parte motion to that effect the next day, the judge adjourned until November 21, 2019 for the hearing of the motion for an order to publish the motion on notice for permanent forfeiture.

In court documents it filed, the EFCC claimed Maina unlawfully acquired some landed properties in the names of his father, mother, wife and son.

It listed some of the properties to include: Plot MFl9 Cadastral Zone, covered by MFCT/12/AMAC/KR/MEI9 AGIS FCT48215 (MISC6OI4), located in Karu, Abuja (allegedly acquired in his mother’s name); Plot 18 Road F Malali North East Residential Layout, in Kaduna (said to have been acquired in 2017, using his late father’s name) and Block 23 Flat 2 located at Life Camp (2 bedrooms semi-detached) in Abuja (in wife’s name)

Also listed are: Plot No 965, Gwarimpa 1 District, Cadastral Zone: C02 covered by Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) No: lafew-fe28z-63a5r-c36eu-10 in Abuja, (in son’s name) and Flat 42C, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna, Kaduna State (allegedly acquired in his pseudo name).

Also affected are: Duplex located at No. 16 A Katuru Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State (in son’s name); 52B, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Lot 016 comprising of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalow, in Kaduna, Kaduna State (in wife’s name); Property at Tola Street, Badarawa, Kaduna comprising of 3-bedroom and an undeveloped land in Kaduna, Kaduna State (original documents said to have been found in his possession) and Plot Y12, Kano Street, Kawo New Extention, Kaduna, Kaduna State (in son’s name).

Equally listed are: A duplex at No. 21, 52 Crescent, Kubwa Phase IV Estate, Abuja (in his own name) and House 8, 211 road, A Close, FHA/EST/264/TA/O32, 3-bedroom bungalow in Abuja (in the name of a company where his relations are directors)and Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State (in son’s name).

Others include a Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu, LGA Nasarawa State (acquired in son’s name); Plot 3A, Sambo Road, Unguwan Rimi, covered by C of O No: KD15452 comprising uncompleted buildings located in Kaduna, Kaduna State (in son’s name) and Property located at 16B/BG Gombe Road, Biu, covered by C of O No: 929/88 in Biu LGA, Borno State (in the name of Cruise City ltd, where he is allegedly a director).