Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
The commission has been having difficulty in getting the original titles of the assets. They include Aridolf Resort, Wellness and Spa and eight others.
The anti-graft commission may ask the court to compel the agencies with the titles in Bayelsa and Rivers states to release them.
The assets in Bayelsa are two marble duplexes at Otioko GRA by Isaac Boro Expressway; a Glass House on Sani Abacha Expressway; Akemfa Etie Plaza by AP filling Station, Melford Okilo Road; and Aridolf Resort, Wellness and Spa on Sani Abacha Expressway.
Others in Port Harcourt are former Customs Service Officers Mess; two duplexes at 2/3, Bauchi Street; landed property with blocks at Ambowei Street; 3 Luxury apartments of four-bedroom each at Ambowei Street; and Grand View Hotel on Airport Road.
The EFCC might consider non-conviction options to recover suspicious assets allegedly traced to the ex-First Lady, it was learnt.
A source, who spoke with The Nation in confidence, said: “Investigations into the assets traced to the ex-First Lady have been completed. What is left is retrieving the land titles of these suspicious assets. But some land registries are not cooperating with us.
”We cannot allow these assets to continue to deteriorate. Very soon, we will apply for the final forfeiture of the affected assets – in line with our mandate. We will apply to the court for the final forfeiture of the assets to give room for those who owned the properties to come forward. We want to put the assets into public use like we have done in some cases of those implicated in the $2.1billion arms deals.
Responding to a question, the source said: “ Acting on orders from above, some officers in the Ministry of Lands in Rivers State have been blocking EFCC’s access to vital documents.
“If they continue, we will take action against such officers for obstructing this agency from doing its work.
“We have made them to realise that by virtue of Section 7 of the EFCC Act , these officers are expected to cooperate with us.”
Another source said: “Part of the deal was that any loot or suspicious asset traced to the former first family might be mutually discussed and quietly returned.
“But the deal went awry when the ex-First Lady approached the court to seek the enforcement of her fundamental human rights and to challenge the freezing of her accounts.”
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