The Lagos division of the Court of Appeal has confirmed the permanent forfeiture of N293.97 million, various investment holdings, and multiple properties tied to retired Major General Emmanuel Jebe Atewe. Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo led a unanimous decision that rejected the former officer’s appeal, effectively upholding a previous Federal High Court judgment that mandated the assets be surrendered to the Federal Government.
The surrendered assets encompass a significant cash sum, thousands of MTN investment units held by Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, and various land parcels in Abuja, specifically in the Jahi, Kuje, Sabon Lugbe, and Outer Northern Expressway areas. Additionally, a commercial building in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, was included in the order. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pursued this action after linking these assets to money siphoned from the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield.
Investigators claimed that approximately N8.537 billion designated for the task force was funneled through proxy companies. The agency stated that these firms collected payments for unperformed contracts, with the proceeds utilized to purchase properties for Atewe. Furthermore, the EFCC identified N297 million connected to Cisco Nobots Limited involving a property deal in Port Harcourt, of which N290 million was recovered.
Although Atewe challenged the forfeiture by citing protections under the Armed Forces Act and arguing that civil proceedings should be paused during his pending criminal trial, the appellate court dismissed his claims. The judges noted that the Armed Forces Act only provides immunity to active-duty personnel, and Atewe had already entered retirement when the legal proceedings began. The court concluded that civil forfeiture can run concurrently with criminal litigation, ultimately ruling that Atewe could not provide evidence for the legitimate acquisition of the properties.
