Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of former Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, Prof Vincent Tenebe, of his multi-million naira Sunflower Hotel Ltd in Kaduna State, which is under the Federal Government. State.
According to the affidavit of Dare Opeyemi, an EFCC officer in the Economic Management Division, the EFCC received intelligence in December 2022 regarding conspiracy, theft, diversion of public funds and criminal breach of trust involving the current Deputy Governor of Delta State and former Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue and former Bursar of NOUN, and Adamu Danlami, owner of Crossbill International Ltd, now currently at large.
Sources have told our reporter that the Deputy Governor currently enjoys immunity but will face the consequences whenever the immunity is lifted.
The investigation revealed that Onyeme, while serving as NOUN bursar, conspired with other staff to divert funds to companies owned by him, and that Crossbill International Ltd received a significant share of these diverted funds.
It was also revealed that Crossbill International Ltd had transferred money to various entities, including Wanone Investment Ltd, Tanadi Ltd, Namutane Foundation and Sunflower Hotel Ltd, using funds embezzled from NOUN.
The order, issued Tuesday and reviewed by our reporter followed a motion for declaratory motion for final confiscation of property filed on June 21 and moved by FO Dibang, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In his decision, Justice Ekwo said, “It is hereby ordered that the property in the possession of the defendant and set out in the annexed list, property reasonably suspected to have been obtained from illegal activities, shall be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The court had issued an interim protection order for the hotel on February 16 and directed the EFCC to publish this decision in a national newspaper within 14 days and to announce on that newspaper’s website all persons or entities with claims regarding the property.
To prove its case, the EFCC included account statements of Blacksnow Ltd, Eno Global Services Nigeria Ltd and Crossbill International Ltd showing transfers and withdrawals.
In accordance with the court’s interim order, the EFCC issued the notification and submitted its declaration of compliance on March 5.
At the time of publication, no person, organization or institution objected to the ownership of the hotel.
In its motion for final forfeiture notice, the EFCC argued that it was imperative to end the forfeiture in the public interest by allowing the Federal Government to assume full control and management of the property on behalf of the National Open University.
In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/33/2024, the hotel is located at Sunflower Crescent, Unguwan Maigero Road, Narayi, Kaduna State and listed the EFCC as the applicant and Sunflower Hotel Ltd as the defendant.
Also recall that the immediate past Governor of Delta State Dr Okowa was just recently released on bail by the EFCC . The EFCC is investigating him regarding the N1.3tn 13 per cent derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.
He is also accused of failing to account for the funds, as well as another N40bn he allegedly claimed was used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas. He reportedly bought shares worth N40bn in one of the country’s major banks, representing an eight per cent equity stake, to support the offshore LNG project. The funds are alleged to have been misappropriated for other purposes.
Investigators are also examining the alleged diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba, Delta State.
