Court Orders Forfeiture of Ex-JTF Commander, Atewe’s Properties Linked to N8.5bn Fraud

Court Orders Forfeiture of Ex-JTF Commander, Atewe’s Properties Linked to N8.5bn Fraud

Justice Mohammed Liman of a Federal High Court in Lagos on March 26, 2020, ordered the interim forfeiture of N293million, six parcels of land and 30,000 MTN shares recovered from Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe (Retd), a former Commander of the Military Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta.

Atewe is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Kime Enzogu and Josephine Otuaga on a 22-count charge of Conspiracy, Stealing and Money Laundering.

The order of interim forfeiture follows an ex-parte application by the EFCC alleging that the assets were part of proceeds of N8.5billion for the military Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta, which he is accused of diverting from the military between September 5, 2014 and May 20, 2015.