A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine properties linked to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu following an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court granted the request after considering an ex parte motion brought by the anti-graft agency. The application sought to temporarily seize the properties over allegations that they were acquired through unlawful means.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/607/2026, was filed under provisions of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
In the application, the EFCC asked for “an interim order of this Honourable Court forfeiting the properties listed in the schedule attached herein, being properties suspected to be proceeds of some unlawful activities, pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order of the said property.”
The commission also urged the court to compel public notice of the order. It requested that interested parties be given time to appear and contest the forfeiture.
After listening to submissions from EFCC counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, Justice Egwuatu approved the request. He ruled, “An interim order of this Honourable Court is made forfeiting the properties listed at the schedule attached herein being properties suspected to be proceeds of some unlawful activities, pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for final forfeiture order of the said properties.”
The judge further ordered, “An order of this Honourable Court is made directing the publication in any national newspaper of the interim order under order (1) above for anyone who is interested in the property to appear before this Honourable Court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
He added that the notice must be published in at least two national newspapers within seven days after obtaining the certified true copy of the order.
The case was adjourned to May 25 for a report of compliance.
The affected assets are spread across high-value areas in Abuja. They include four blocks of terraces at Dakibiyu, a duplex with penthouse and office complex in Maitama, and a standalone duplex in Palm Springs Estate, Mpape. Others are multiple blocks of flats located in Wuse Zone 4, Wuse II, Garki, and Maitama.
Also listed are buildings currently occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency in Garki.
The latest development is tied to an ongoing investigation into the former Bayelsa State governor. The EFCC had earlier declared Sylva wanted over an alleged case involving $14.8 million. The funds were said to be part of an investment by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board into a refinery project.
The commission had obtained an arrest warrant against him from a Federal High Court in Lagos in 2025.