The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over 14 properties initially forfeited to the Federal Government and now ceded to the Government and people of Enugu State.
The transfer of the properties to Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, was performed by EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the corporate headquarters of the commission in the Jabi area of Abuja on Wednesday.
The EFCC chairman revealed that the journey to this day began in 2007 and is proof of the mutually beneficial relationship existing between the Federal Government and states.
Olukoyede said, “We are looking at about 17 years since the matter has been on. Eventually some of the properties were forfeited and since then, the EFCC has been managing those properties even though the titles of quite a number of the properties have been revoked by the Enugu State Government.”
Governor Mbah expressed gratitude for the handover and thanked the EFCC chair and the commission for ensuring that the people of his state reclaimed their common patrimony.
He said, “The importance and significance of this event can never be lost on us and we do not also take it for granted. So I want to take this opportunity to convey my profound gratitude and deep appreciation to the chairman and members of the EFCC team.”
“Those assets were forfeited to the Federal Government. And this brings me to another gratitude that I want to convey here today. I want to acknowledge and recognize the important role played by the President. Without the proactiveness and speed at which he acted on our request to cede these assets back to the people and Government of Enugu State, we wouldn’t have been here today. So I want to thank him most sincerely for granting our request for these assets that were forfeited to the Federal Government to be ceded back to Enugu State.”
The properties comprise houses, transmission equipment for radio and television stations, a building for medical operations, among others.
