By Okeke Eunice
The Federal High Court in Abuja has temporarily frozen and ordered the forfeiture of over N228.4 million connected to former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji.
The interim order was issued on Wednesday by Justice Emeka Nwite following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to EFCC counsel Fadila Yusuf, the forfeiture is essential for the ongoing investigation into allegations of money laundering against the former governor.
The judge, after granting the order, directed the EFCC to publish the decision in a newspaper to inform any interested parties.
Orji, who served two terms as the governor of Abia State and later as a senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, retired from active politics after his tenure.
In an ex parte motion dated December 30, 2024, and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/03/V/2025, the EFCC requested an interim order to freeze and forfeit N228,497,773.12 held in an account with Keystone Bank, as detailed in the schedule attached to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC alleged that the funds, traced to Effdee Nigeria Ltd, are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC claimed that Effdee Nigeria Ltd collaborated with Orji, members of his administration, and his family to defraud the Abia State Government through acts of conspiracy, abuse of power, money laundering, and embezzlement of public funds.
In an affidavit supporting the ex parte application, EFCC litigation officer Tahir Ahmed stated that the commission received intelligence between 2016 and 2017 implicating Orji, his associates, and family members.
Ahmed alleged that Effdee Nigeria Ltd, a company involved in sewage and waste disposal, was used to launder funds belonging to the Abia State Government. He claimed the company funneled money from government accounts with the assistance of bank officials.
He further alleged that a divisional head of a bank in Umuahia acted as an intermediary between Effdee Nigeria Ltd and Erondu Uchenna Erondu, a Special Adviser in Orji’s administration. The funds were reportedly transferred to specific customer accounts, withdrawn in cash, and returned to the Special Adviser at Government House.
Justice Nwite, after granting the interim forfeiture order, gave interested parties 14 days to appear before the court and present reasons why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
He scheduled the case for February 3 to review the compliance report.