Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim freezing and forfeiture of over N228.4 million linked to former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji, due to allegations of money laundering.
The court’s decision was made in response to an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, directed the EFCC to publish the order on its website and in the Daily Trust newspaper.
This move aims to notify interested parties, giving them 14 days to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the government.
The EFCC alleges that the funds, held in a Keystone Bank account, are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Investigations suggest that Effdee Nigeria Ltd, a company linked to Orji’s administration, conspired with the former governor, his family members, and other officials to launder public funds.
The judge adjourned the matter until February 3 for report of compliance, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Mr Orji also served as two-term Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District before his retirement from active politics.
The anti-graft agency had, in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/03/V/2025, brought the suit pursuant to Section 44(2)b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The motion dated December 30, 2024 and filed on January 2 by Yusuf, was also brought under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The lawyer sought an order granting an interim freezing and forfeiture of the sum of N228, 497, 773. 12 domiciled with Keystone Bank set out in the schedule attached to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
She also sought “an order authorising the commission to make publication of interim freezing/forfeiture order made by this honourable court on the EFCC website and Daily Trust Newspaper and the interested parties to show cause within 14 days of the publication of the order.”
The lawyer, in her five-ground argument, said the money described in the schedule was subject matter of investigation by the EFCC and found in the possession of Effdee Nigeria Ltd.
She said it was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Tahir Ahmed, a litigation officer with EFCC, said sometime between 2016 and 2017, the commission received an intelligence report against Orji, some officials in his administration and his family members.
He averred that Effdee Nigeria Limited, a sewage and waste disposal entity, was used by the former governor, some officials in his administration and his family members for the diversion and laundering of Abia Government funds while Orji was in office.
The company was used to siphon funds and divert monies with the aid of some officials of Keystone Bank,
“The intelligence report was assigned to the Economic Governance Section of the commission for investigation,” he said.
He said the team commenced Investigation into the case which led to the arrest of Austin Akuma, the Divisional Head of Keystone Bank Pic in Umuahia who was discovered to be the middleman between the contractor (Effdee Nigeria Limited) and Erondu Uchenna Erondu, Special Adviser, General Duties to the former governor.
He alleged that the banker, in a statement made upon words of caution at the EFCC office, stated that it was agreed between himself (Akuma) and Erondu that the contractor’s company, Effdee Nigeria Limited, would be used to received funds from Abia State Government accounts.
“Thereafter the contractor would distribute these monies to several accounts of specific customers of the bank to be provided by the banker after which these various customers would withdraw cash and return same to the banker who in turn takes the cash to the Special Adviser in the Government House,” he alleged, attaching the statements made as Exhibit EFCC 1.
Justice Nwite described the application as meritorious and granted the prayers.