PUNCH Nigeria Limited has requested information on the sales of forfeited Federal Government assets from the Inter-ministerial Committee on Disposal of Forfeited Assets.
The request, filed under the Freedom of Information Act 2011, was sequel to the failure of the committee to provide an update on its assignment to Nigerians over the past months despite repeated requests by our correspondent.
The letter, which was addressed to the Committee Chairman and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Benjamin Okolo, dated April 21, 2022, and received on the same date by the committee, was signed by the head, Abuja Bureau, The PUNCH Newspapers, Mr Eniola Akinkuotu.
It was titled, ‘Freedom of Information Act request for information on the inter-ministerial committee on disposal of forfeited assets.’
The letter read, “In accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, we hereby request the status of work done so far by your committee.
“We wish to know how many assets were earmarked for disposal, how many have been sold, the type of assets disposed of, the amount made from the sales and when the committee is expected to wind up its activities.
“The response could come in hard or soft copy. In case of soft copy, kindly forward the response to: [email protected]
“Based on the provision of the FOI Act, we hope our request will be granted within seven days of your receipt of this letter.”
Before the FOI request was filed, our correspondent had contacted Okolo for an update on the work of the committee but he referred inquiries to the committee’s head of secretariat, Ladidi Mohammed.
But Mohammed, who is Deputy Director/Head, Asset Recovery and Management Unit, Federal Ministry of Justice, failed to respond to several calls and messages requesting an update on the committee’s assignment over several weeks.
While inaugurating the 22-member committee in November 2020, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, had given it a six-month timeline for the disposal of the assets.
“Your mandate is to ensure the expedient disposal of all FGN forfeited assets and generate revenue for the federal government of Nigeria,” Malami had stated.
The committee, which was formerly chaired by the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, had disclosed that it commenced the process of disposing forfeited assets in 25 locations across the country.
The assets include landed property, plants, machinery, vehicles, electronics, furniture, ships, jewellery, ornaments and clothing materials.
The committee members had early last year visited five locations in Abuja where they identified properties, including house No. 6, Ethiope Close, Maitama; 19 Kumasi Crescent; 14 Adzope Crescent, Wuse; a commercial building, Platinum Resident Hotel, Owu fall Close at Amasco Platinum City, Galadimawa.
They also inspected forfeited vehicles located opposite the Central Mosque in the Central Business District, Abuja.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
