The Federal Government has taken over a private school, Goodwill Private Schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State, ending over one month of appeal by the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, for the owners to appear before it and request to take it back.
The U-shape two-storey building school was alleged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to have been built from the proceeds of unlawful activities in the country.
Approving the apex government request on Tuesday, Justice A.O. Owoeye ordered the final forfeiture of the school, saying since the owners have refused to appear amd reclaim their property.
The judge gave the order, following a motion ex- parte dated January 8, 2025 and filed by the EFCC, through its counsel, Hannatu KofarNaisa.
The court had, on November 8, 2024, granted an interim forfeiture order of the property and also directed the publication of the same in a national newspaper for any interested party to show cause why the property should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
Moving the motion for the final forfeiture order, counsel to the EFCC told the court that the property was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
KofarNaisa also told court that the Commission published the interim forfeiture order newspaper for any interested party to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.