Court orders forfeiture of funds ‘linked’ to Oyo-Ita

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of funds allegedly linked to Winifred Oyo-Ita, former head of service.

The particulars of the case were not read out in the open court when Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, the judge, gave the order.

Oyo-Ita is embroiled in a N3 billion fraud allegation, which Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating.

She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

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At the court on Thursday, M.S Abubakar, counsel to the EFCC, said the funds were voluntarily returned to the commission as proceeds of crime.

The counsel said no one has challenged the order of the court when it made a ruling for the temporary forfeiture of the funds.

According to him, the funds have been paid into an account domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as soon as it was returned by the suspect.

Oyo-Ita has since resigned her appointment as head of service, and was replaced by Folashade Yemi-Esan. Nigeria News