$2.8m Enugu airport cash: Court orders interim forfeiture

Justice A. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, has ordered the interim forfeiture of $2.8 million intercepted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at the Akanu Ibiam International, Enugu, on December 20.

The court gave the order for the temporary forfeiture of the money pending the conclusion of investigation on Friday following an application by the EFCC lawyer, Anasoh Onyedikachi.

It further directed the publication of the order in national newspapers in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006, the acting EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, disclosed in a text message on Saturday.

The anti-graft commission had arrested Ighoh Augustine and Ezekwe Emmanuel, allegedly working for a company, Bankers Warehouse, which claimed responsibility for the movement of the money.

The suspects were caught with consignments of two suitcases containing $1.4 million each, totalling $2.8m at the departure lounge of the airport while about boarding an Arik Air evening flight to Lagos.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they have been in the business of conveying cash for some notable banks for over six years and were in the process of doing same for Union Bank Plc, located at New Market, Onitsha, Anambra State, when they were caught,” the commission had stated.

A third suspect, simply identified as Orji, was also nabbed after he showed up at the commission with a request to move a huge amount of money to Lagos.