A justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of $376,120 allegedly linked to Major General Hakeem Otiki.
This comes on the heels of an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who grilled EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, for a long period before the granting application, ordered the commission to publish the court order in a national daily to enable anyone interested in the money to appear and show cause why it should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge gave any interested person 14 days from the date of publication to show cause.
She then adjourned till February 24 for hearing.
Otiki is facing charges before the Army court martial in respect of the funds.
The EFCC alleged that Otiki detailed some soldiers to provide escort from Sokoto to Kaduna for one Alhaji Ado Aliyu, a bureau de change operator, with N400m but made away with the money.
