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Tag: Ahmed Idris

  • High Court Orders Interim Forfeiture of $899,900, 15 Properties Recovered from Ex-AGF Idris

    High Court Orders Interim Forfeiture of $899,900, 15 Properties Recovered from Ex-AGF Idris

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of $899,900 and N304, 490,160.95 recovered from a former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The court also forfeited 15 properties recovered from Idris in Kano and Abuja.

    The properties linked to Idris which were listed in the Schedule for forfeiture include Kano City Mall/Al Ikhlas Shopping Mall at Mandwawarti, Kano; one storey Shopping Complex at Ladanai, Kano; Corner Shops at Ladanai, Kano; a duplex at Karsana, Abuja; Royal Duplex at Deneji Quarters, Kano and a Duplex at Plot 271, New Jersey Street, Efab Blue Fountain Estate, Abuja.

    Idris and others are being prosecuted by the EFCC on 14 counts of stealing and money laundering to the tune of N109billion.

    Justice M.A Hassan gave the Order on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 while ruling on a motion exparte no. M/1149/2022, filed by the EFCC. This was according to a statement by the anti-graft spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren.

    In the motion, the EFCC had prayed the Court for an Order of interim attachment/ forfeiture of the properties in the Schedule to the application, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive case in Charge No. FCT, HC/CR/299/2022, Federal Republic of Nigeria V. Ahmed Idris and Others.

    The Commission had requested the court to grant among others, an Order approving the interim “management of the assets and properties in the Schedule to this application to the applicant”, an order “to open an interest yielding account where monies realised from the management of the assets and properties of the persons stated in the Schedule to this application shall be paid”, and an order “freezing the Bank Accounts of the persons referred to as account holders/ or the bank accounts set out in the Schedule to this application”, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive case.

    Justice Hassan granted the motion as prayed but further ordered that the recovery account sought to be opened by the applicant, ”shall be in the name of the Commission as Recovery Account and the details of the Account shall be reported back to the Court within one week of opening”.

    Nine properties linked to the second respondent, Mohammed Kudu Usman, located in Abuja, Niger and Nasarawa States, were also forfeited in the interim.

    They include plots of land with shops in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, a 37 hectares of farmland with livestock located along Minna-Bida Road in Niger State, Bungalow flats at Gwarimpa, Abuja, Bungalow Buildings at Masaka, Nasarawa State, plots of land at Dutse Alhaji Abuja and 13 plots of land at Integrated City, Minna, Niger State.

  • Over N30bn Recovered From Suspended Accountant General – EFCC

    Over N30bn Recovered From Suspended Accountant General – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that it recovered over 30 billion naira out of the 109 billion naira alleged to have been fraudulently amassed by the suspended Accountant General of the federation, Ahmed Idris.

    Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, disclosed on Thursday at the weekly ministerial briefing in the State House.

    Responding to a question posed on the independence of the commission, the EFCC boss asserted that high profile personalities and government agencies across the board, have been subject to investigation including the EFCC, which is evident of the government’s successful anti corruption drive.

    He disclosed that through a Special control unit against Money laundering (SCUML), would make it difficult for Nigerians to launder proceeds of crime in the next two three years.

    He also announced that the commission will by year end publish nationwide auction real estates across 15 locations in the country, in order to dispose of over 150 flats and apartments forfeited assets.

  • N109bn Fraud: EFCC Re-Arraigns Suspended AGF Ahmed Idris, Others

    N109bn Fraud: EFCC Re-Arraigns Suspended AGF Ahmed Idris, Others

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday re-arraigned suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and three others over alleged N109.5 billion fraud in an FCT High Court, Maitama.

    Other defendants are Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

    They were first arraigned on July 22 before a vacation judge, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi on a 13-count charge bordering on misappropriation to the tune of N109.5 billion.

    However, upon the resumption of the court, the case was transferred to Justice Yusuf Halilu.

    They all pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them by EFCC.

    Following their not-guilty plea, counsel for Idris, Chris Uche, SAN, prayed the court to allow the defendants to continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted them by the court on July 28.

    He submitted that they have been complying with their bail conditions.

    Counsel for other defendants aligned themselves with Uche’s application and submission.

    The EFCC’s counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, did not object to the application.

    He, however, left the decision to the court to exercise its discretion.

    Ruling on the application, Justice Halilu held that bail is a constitutional right of a defendant.

    He added that having been previously granted bail by the court, he is favourably inclined to allow the defendants to continue enjoying the early bail granted them by the court.

    He, however, directed that defendants submit their passports to the court’s registrar.

    Justice Halilu adjourned the case until Nov. 23 for a hearing.

    The EFCC alleged that between February and December 2021, Idris accepted from Akindele, a gratification of N15. 1 billion, which sum was a motive for accelerating the payment of 13 per cent derivation to the nine oil-producing states in the Federation, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

    The anti-graft agency also alleged that N84. 3billion from the federal government’s account was converted by the first and second defendants between Feb. and Nov. 2021.

    The EFCC said the offence contravenes sections 155 and 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

  • Suspended AGF Remanded in Kuje Prison Over Alleged N109bn Fraud

    Suspended AGF Remanded in Kuje Prison Over Alleged N109bn Fraud

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and three other defendants be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Facility.

    Mr Idris and his co-defendants were arraigned before Justice Adeyemi Ajayi on Friday following charges of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.4 billion.

    The former AGF and his fellow respondents – Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited, earlier pleaded not guilty to the 14 count charge levelled against them by the EFCC.

    Counsel to Mr Idris, Chris Uche prayed the court to allow the defendant to continue enjoying the administrative bail granted to him by the antigraft agency.

    Mr Uche added that the EFCC has the defendants international passport, and as such they should be allowed to come back on Monday to take their bail application.

    The lawyer asked the court to permit the defendants to come back on Monday and not remand them at any correctional facility.

    However, the EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said the administrative bail ended once the charge was filed.

    Delivering her ruling, Justice Adeyemi Ajayi held that the court is not a puppet to dance to the rhythm of public opinions.

    Interjecting, Idris’ counsel pleaded with the court that due to the porous security nature of the Kuje correctional facility, his client should be remanded in the EFCC custody.

    Justice Ajayi however, repeatedly ordered the Senior Advocate to sit down, stressing that nobody can overturn her orders before her.

    She subsequently adjourned proceedings till the 27th of July for hearing of bail applications.

  • EFCC Arrests Accountant-General Over N80bn Fraud

    EFCC Arrests Accountant-General Over N80bn Fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris over an N80 billion fraud.

    EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren confirmed his arrest in a statement issued on Monday evening.

    He said Idris was arrested after failing to honour the commission’s invitations to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent act.

    “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 16, 2022, arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80 billion( Eighty Billion Naira only),” Uwujaren’s statement read.

    “The Commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.”

    According to the EFCC, the funds were laundered via real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.