Hunt Bigger Fishes, Not Just Yahoo Boys, Appeal Court Judge Tells EFCC As Agency Announces Recovery of 753 Duplexes

Israel Adeleke

The Presiding Judge at the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, Justice Muhammad Lawal Shuaibu, has urged anti-corruption agents to focus on larger figures involved in corrupt practices, rather than just targeting “yahoo boys" OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports.

OTN News further reports that, Justice Shuaibu made this call during the opening of the North West Zonal Attorney General’s Anti-Corruption Forum (AGAF), organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC), the International Institute for Democracy to and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), and funding from the European Union (EU).

During the opening, he emphasized that targeting high-profile individuals rather than focusing only on the yahoo boys, was crucial for achieving a stable society. 

“At the NJI, I criticized the EFCC Chairman, though we disagreed. Since 2007, when I stopped handling corruption trials, I can’t recall a significant case. Now the focus is on yahoo boys. I implore all of you to target the bigger fish. Only then will we have a stable society,” he said.

Furthermore, the Judge shared his frustration over the continuing presence of corrupt individuals in positions of power, citing an example of a serving governor who had previously been incarcerated under his watch. 

He expressed disbelief at how such individuals returned to power and urged stronger collaboration between state and federal agencies.

Also, he criticized judges who issue ex parte orders protecting individuals with immunity, preventing anti-corruption agents from carrying out their duties. He stated, “People with immunity can still be invited and investigated.”

Echoing Shuaibu’s sentiments, Kano State Chief Judge, Justice Dije Aboki, urged anti-corruption agents to expose corruption at all levels, regardless of the status or influence of the individuals involved.

Subsequently, the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu SAN, assured that the commission was not afraid to pursue high-profile targets, but stressed that improving the justice system through technology would expedite the process.

Aliyu also called for the swift passage of the Whistleblower Act, which he believes would significantly aid in the fight against corruption by protecting whistleblowers and exposing corrupt actors.

On behalf of the European Union (EU) and RoLAC, Mr. Emmanuel Uche highlighted the importance of expanding collaboration with state Attorneys General to strengthen the anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the call to go after big fishes in the ocean of corruption prosecution is coming at a time when the anti-graft agency has just announced in a statement what has been described as the biggest asset recovery from a singular government official in recent times, as the agency claims to have recovered a massive estate, housing no fewer than 753 duplexes in Abuja, the country's FCT.

OTN News further reports that, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stated that, this discovery was the single largest asset recovery since its inception in 2003.

According to the EFCC, the estate, located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, belonged to a government official.

Furthermore, the anti-corruption agency said it relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006 and Section 44 (2) B of the Constitution of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to push its case.

The statement added that the commission filed an application for the forfeiting of the Abuja estate, measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.

Ruling on the Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court held that the respondent have not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property, “which has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities."

The judge however declared, “The property is hereby finally forfeited to the Federal Government."

The statement further added, “The road to the final forfeiture of the property was paved by an interim forfeiture order, secured before the same Judge on November 1, 2024.

“The government official which fraudulently built the estate is being investigated by the EFCC. The forfeiture of the asset is an important modality of depriving the suspect of the proceeds of the crime.

“The justification for the forfeiture is derived from Part 2, Section 7 of the EFCC Establishment Act, which stipulates that the EFCC “has power to cause investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organization has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes and cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the Commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.” the statement added.

However, the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has repeatedly described asset recovery as pivotal in the fight against corruption, describing it as a major disincentive against the corrupt and the fraudulent.