ICPC gets order to seize 60 buildings from Civil Defence officer

James Ojo, Abuja and Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha 

A Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Adenike Bintu, is to forfeit 60 buildings in an estate to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission( ICPC).

The anti-graft agency secured an interim forfeiture order on the estate and another landed property linked to Bintu and a company she floated.

In a statement on its website, yesterday, ICPC said Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted the order. It added that the forfeiture followed an ex-parte motion filed by the counsel to ICPC, John Okwor.

ICPC alleged that Ms. Bintu used her company, Faith Winners Properties Nigeria Limitd, to perpetrate the fraud.

The properties include an estate of 60 buildings at Plot No. MF1296 (10.9ha), Sabon Lugbe South West Extension (Goza Airport Road), Abuja, and a property at Plot No. ED1295 (9.6ha) located at Sabon Lugbe South West Extension (Goza Airport Road), Abuja.

In her charge case no: FCT/HC/CR/101/2013, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Ms Bintu, and her company are standing trial for scamming  members of the public into subscribing for allocation in a proposed housing estate while passing off the said estate project as a collaboration with her employer.

In the course of the trial, Ms Bintu jumped bail and available information indicates that she is out of the country, the ICPC said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation (HURIDE) has charged the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on the finances and expenditures of South-East and South-South governors to assess their prudence and transparency.

The group stated this after its quarterly meeting held to asses the performances and implementation of 2018/2019 budgets of state in the zones.

Chairman of HURIDE, Dede Uzor in a statement decried  the frittering of the commonwealth of the people on frivolities, instead of channelling the money to areas that would be beneficial to the people.