A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of NOK University, Kaduna State, along with all its assets, to the Federal Government.
The ruling was delivered on Friday by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik in response to a motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Anthony Hassan and KYC Inter-Project Limited.
The EFCC’s legal team, led by Ekele Iheanacho, argued that the properties of the university were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CV/688/2022, contended that Anthony Hassan failed to demonstrate that the university and its assets were not acquired through illicit means.
Iheanacho pointed out that NOK University was incorporated on October 6, 2021, with the wife and children of the first respondent listed as directors and guarantors, but without Hassan’s name.
He further noted that Hassan, despite being a civil servant, funded the acquisition of the land and the construction of the university buildings, using his family members’ names to obscure his involvement.
The EFCC maintained that Hassan used his position as a civil servant to amass wealth illegally, thereby violating the provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The court had previously issued an interim order for the forfeiture of the properties, which was published in the Leadership Newspaper on June 17, 2022. With no sufficient cause shown to reverse the interim order, the court proceeded with the final forfeiture.
During the proceedings, Barrister Victor Olisah claimed ownership of six plots of land on which one of the university’s properties was built. However, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed his claims due to a lack of credible evidence.
Justice Abdulmalik also rejected the defense presented by Hassan and KYC Inter-Project Limited, which argued that the university was funded by investors. The judge agreed with the EFCC’s assertion that Hassan had used his position for personal gain.
In addition to NOK University, the court ordered the forfeiture of several other properties linked to Hassan, including Gwasmyen Water Factory, Gwasmyen International Hotel, and Gwasmyen Event Center.
With the final forfeiture order, the assets will be transferred to the Federal Government. However, the defendants have the right to appeal the decision in higher courts.
