Despite claims of ownership by his wife, Laila, and several alleged relatives, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of at least 20 properties linked to Abdulrasheed Maina, the convicted former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), to the Federal Government.
On Friday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the claims by Laila, who identified herself as a U.S. citizen, along with Maina’s relatives and associates, including Uwani Usman, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu Wambai, Haruna Mu’azu Musa, and Aliyu Abdullahi. These individuals had asserted ownership of 23 properties tied to Maina.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had conclusively demonstrated that the properties, located across various parts of the country, were illegally acquired. The judge stated that the EFCC effectively fulfilled its legal duty to prove that the assets were obtained with proceeds from criminal activities.
The judge emphasized that the “various individuals who responded to an earlier interim forfeiture order, requiring interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited, failed to establish their ownership of the affected properties with credible evidence.”
This ruling marks a significant victory for the EFCC in its ongoing efforts to recover assets linked to corruption and financial crimes. The forfeited properties are expected to be utilized by the Federal Government for public benefit.
The case against Abdulrasheed Maina has been a high-profile example of the Nigerian government’s commitment to combating corruption. Maina, who was previously convicted on charges of money laundering and other financial crimes, has been at the center of several controversies regarding the misappropriation of pension funds.
