The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of some funds and properties alleged traced and owned by Mr. Abidemi Rufai Ganiyu the Ex-Aide of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun. 
Mr. Abidemi Ganiyu Rufai was arrested by the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on May 14. He currently faces charges of wire fraud in the United States, in lieu of this a court order has been grant by the Lagos Federal High giving a prayer to the EFCC to freeze and seize assets traced to Mr. Rufai of which includes a property of his in Lekki and funds in his accounts domiciled in Sterling and Zenith banks.
READ ALSO: Ogun Governor’s Aide, Abidemi Rufai, Denied Bail In $650 Million Unemployment Fraud
Justice Tijjani Ringim made the order sequel to an ex parte motion filed and argued by a counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ebuka Okongwu.
The EFCC joined Rufai, his firm Omo Mayodele Global Investment; and Sterling Bank PLC as the first, second, and third respondents in the suit. Okongwu told the judge that it was essential for the court to grant the prayer of interim forfeiture to preserve the res and prevent further dissipation of the defendant’s funds in his Sterling Bank account.
According to an affidavit sworn to by an EFCC investigator, Usman Abdulhamid, “Abidemi Rufai had already dissipated a suspicious N29.37m in tranches of N5m, N5m, N2.7m, N1.1m, N2m, N2m, N2m, and N5m. The funds were warehoused in his accounts in three banks.”
READ ALSO: More Woes For Abidemi Rufai As US Produces 97k-page Evidence
Abidemi Rufai was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on May 14 over alleged $350,000 COVID-19 unemployment fraud from the Washington State Employment Security Department, in the US. He was indicted for alleged conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Watch our trending video of the day below;
Photo Credit: Getty
