Court Dismisses Kantigi’s Appeal, Affirms Forfeiture of Property To Gov’t

A three-man panel of Judges of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, led by Justice Bature Isah Gafai, has dismissed an appeal filed by Baba Chado Kantigi claiming ownership of House No. 10, Kinshasa Street, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja.

The appeal was dismissed on Monday, October 31, 2022.

Kantigi filed the appeal to claim ownership of the property linked to Alhaji Liman Kantigi, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Niger State while Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu was governor.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had sometime in 2017, confiscated some properties linked to Kantigi based on intelligence linking him with money laundering and fraudulent acquisition of assets. Another landed property linked to Kantigi was House Block 5, Flat 3, Divo Street, Foreign Affairs Quarters, Abuja.

Delivering the lead judgment on Monday, Justice Gafai dismissed the appeal and directed that the property be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Other parties who forfeited properties to the government in a different appeal before the court are: Janet Ojeneti Enemosah: Block 4, Flat 3, Divo Street, Foreign Affairs Quarters, Abuja, Mrs. Rakiya Baba: Block 5, Flat 3, Divo Street, Foreign Affairs Quarters, Abuja and Olalekan Olakehinde: Mercedes Van January 2014 model, Toyota Land Cruiser bullet proof jeep, 2013 model, Toyota Tundra pickup edition, 2014 model , Volkswagen Passat 2013 model and Mini Cooper Countryman, 2013 model.