Manny Ita –
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final court order forfeiting assets worth over N1.9 billion linked to former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja following an application filed by the anti-graft agency after Nwabuoku’s earlier conviction on corruption-related charges.
According to the EFCC, the forfeited assets include shares valued at about N1.94 billion, N288.59 million in cash, and a five-bedroom duplex located at City Gate Estate, Kukwaba, Abuja. The court held that the properties and funds were proceeds of unlawful activities tied to money laundering and abuse of office.
Nwabuoku was appointed Acting Accountant-General of the Federation by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 22, 2022, before later coming under investigation by the EFCC.
The commission explained that after Nwabuoku’s conviction and sentencing on March 23, 2026, over a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering and abuse of office, it filed a motion seeking the permanent confiscation of the assets.
Court documents revealed that the forfeited cash was traced to accounts linked to several companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arrafura Transnational Afro Ltd. Included in the recovered funds was N220 million earlier refunded by the former AGF into the EFCC Recovery Account maintained with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The forfeited duplex in Abuja formed part of the second schedule of assets presented before the court, while the third schedule consisted of stock investments acquired in several security companies.
Justice Omotosho ruled that the assets were directly connected to unlawful financial activities and ordered their final forfeiture to the Federal Government.
The latest development follows Nwabuoku’s earlier conviction in an alleged N868.46 million fraud case prosecuted by the EFCC. Before his conviction, the anti-graft agency had already recovered part of the assets, including the N220 million refund and the Abuja duplex surrendered during investigations.
Despite initially pleading not guilty, the former Acting AGF was eventually convicted and sentenced after the conclusion of the trial.
