Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of 73 properties suspected to be linked to computer-related fraud and money laundering. The court also instructed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publish the order in a national newspaper.
The publication will notify any interested parties to appear before the court within 14 days and show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be granted in favor of the federal government.
The forfeited items include 1,596 computers/laptops, 4,091 phones, various SIM cards from multiple network providers, 754 mattresses, 411 deep freezers, and several household appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, and electric kettles. Other seized items include 16 inverter batteries, 43 CPUs/monitors, 558 office tables, seven vehicles, and two television sets, among many others.
The order was granted on April 23, 2025, in Suit No. FHC/L/MISC/382/2025, filed by the EFCC against Genting International Co. The EFCC’s motion was supported by an affidavit filed by Yusuf Abdutazeez Kolade, accompanied by exhibits and a written address dated April 17, 2025.
The application was made under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction. In granting the order, Justice Dipeolu stated, “I have read the motion and attachments and find sufficient merit in the application; it is accordingly granted.”
According to an affidavit by EFCC investigator Kaina Garba, the Commission acted on intelligence that a transnational cybercrime syndicate, involving Chinese nationals and other foreign actors, was operating under the name Genting International Co. The syndicate allegedly recruited and trained Nigerian youths in various forms of cyber fraud, including romance and investment scams. The recruits were reportedly provided with configured phones and computers to carry out these scams.
The EFCC carried out a joint sting operation on December 10, 2024, at the syndicate’s alleged headquarters at No. 7 Oyinjolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Additional properties in Ikoyi and Victoria Island were also linked to the operation. The EFCC arrested 761 individuals, both Nigerian and foreign nationals, while the alleged leaders and financiers of the syndicate remain at large.
The EFCC argued that the application was in the public interest, necessary for further investigation, and aimed at preventing continued damage to Nigeria’s reputation.
Edited by Nzubechukwu Eze.
