In a significant legal move, a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine high-end properties tied to Timipre Sylva, the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
The order comes amid allegations that the assets were acquired through unlawful means.
Justice Obiora Atuegwu had
on Wednesday granted the seizure following an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This temporary ruling (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/607/2026) was filed under the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.
The court has mandated that:
* The assets be temporarily held as suspected “proceeds of unlawful activities.”
* A public notice be published to notify any interested parties.
* Anyone with a claim to the properties has 14 days to show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be issued.
The properties are located in some of Abuja’s most exclusive neighborhoods and include: Four blocks of terraces at Dakibiyu, a luxury duplex featuring a penthouse and an integrated office complex at Maitama and a standalone duplex situated within the Palm Springs Estate at Mpape.
Additional assets include multiple blocks of flats in Wuse Zone 4, Wuse II, Garki, and Maitama, as well as buildings currently occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency in Garki.
Egwuatu directed that the interim order be published in at least two national newspapers within seven days of obtaining the certified true copy, for anyone with an interest in the properties to respond within 14 days.
The recent forfeiture order is the latest development in an intensifying EFCC investigation into the former minister.
Central to the probe are allegations involving $14.8 million which investigators claim was diverted from a Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) investment intended for a refinery project.
Sylva’s legal challenges have been mounting for over a year:
In 2025, a Federal High Court in Lagos had issued an arrest warrant against him and was subsequently declared wanted by the EFCC.
Adding to his legal woes are unconfirmed reports that Sylva has gone into hiding.
These claims suggest his involvement in a plot against the Tinubu administration, though the former minister has yet to issue a public statement regarding these specific accusations.
The court has adjourned the case until May 25, at which point a compliance report regarding the interim forfeiture and public notification will be presented.
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