By Baron Ike
Nigerians have been urge to buy into the anti-corruption crusade as seizure of property believed to have been proceeds of corruption in the country gathers momentum.
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) said the current trend of court-ordered forfeiture of property believed to be proceeds of corruption is a clear sign of renewed vigour of the anti-graft crusade of the Buhari administration.
The organisation added that the Judiciary also deserves commendation for aiding in the steps that would eventually lead to permanent forfeiture of top-of-the-range properties belonging to high profile politicians and public office holders to the Federal Government.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, BMO described the spate of forfeiture as confirmation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s readiness to intensify the fight against corruption and corrupt practices.
“It is unprecedented; in 24 hours, Nigeria recorded a major boost in the war against corruption with three separate decisions by two Federal High Courts in Lagos and one in Abuja for the interim forfeiture of no fewer than 28 high-end properties.
“It all began with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) securing a court order to hold on to two houses belonging to former Senate President Bukola Saraki, located in high-brow Ikoyi in Lagos State. The property were said to have been acquired by Saraki while he was the governor of Kwara State with funds taken directly from government coffers.
“And barely a day later, another court also in Lagos, ordered the forfeiture of three landed property belonging to Kola Aluko, an associate of former Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Allison –Madueke, and which the EFCC valued at N6.42 billion.
“The one that many Nigerians would find most interesting is the authority granted the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to hold on to 23 property in four states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) belonging to the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina who was an assistant director in the Federal Civil service.
“Here is a man who was seemingly untouchable since 2013, and whom President Buhari was alleged to be shielding from prosecution, but is now in custody and due for arraignment alongside his son, Faisal on Friday October 25 before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja .
“And although the forfeitures are for only fourteen days in the first instance, the orders are a clear sign of intent of more inter-government collaborative effort to retrieve and recover property illegally acquired with public funds for private purposes,” it said.
BMO added that now that the government has raised the bar in the anti-corruption war, it deserves more support from Nigerians for the success of the crusade.
“Anyone in doubt of the political will of the Buhari administration to step up the fight against corruption, especially in the second and final term of the President, would see that there is no let-up in the fight.
“We do not doubt that after the 14-day interim forfeiture period, the courts would give new and subsequent orders granting the federal government the authority to seize the properties permanently as was the case with previous orders.
“We look forward to the trial of people found to have breached public trust by using our commonwealth to acquire property at the expense of taxpayers over the years.
“So what is needed is the continuous support of the citizenry to ensure that these individuals, no matter how highly placed, do not escape justice.”
BMO also urged the anti-graft agencies to live up to the confidence reposed in them by the Buhari administration.