A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor today ordered the interim forfeiture of 43 vehicles and six motorcycles allegedly used by some alleged drug traffickers in trafficking and storing 13, 016 kilograms of hard drugs and psychotropic substances.
Justice Osiagor granted the order of forfeiture consequent upon a motion exparte filed and argued by counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Barrister Buhari . Abdullahi.
When the motion came up for hearing today, the prosecutor Mr Buhari Abdulahi informed the court that the prosecution has an exparte application and prayed the court to allow him move same.
Moving the motion, Buhari urged the court to grant his prayers as contained in the motion Exparte marked FHC/L/MISC/64/2026, seeking for an order of the court to forfeit in the interim 46 vehicles and six motorcycles which were alleged to have been used as instrumentally of committing drug trafficking crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
This the prosecutor the request said was in line with Sections 44(2)( b), 6 (6)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); and Sections 3 (1)(a)(b)& (3)(1)(a) & 41 (b)(iv) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 LFN 2004 (As Amended); Sections 4 (b)(c) 7, 8(a) 9(1)(3)(b) & 4, 10 (1) and 12 of the Proceeds of Crimes Recovery and Management Act 2022 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
Buhari added that the motion exparte was supported by 24 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by one Abdulkareem Abdullahi, a Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics, in the NDLEA.
While stating the grounds for the application for the forfeiture order, Buhari said the vehicles and motorcycles sought to be forfeited in the interim were reasonably suspected to have been used as an instrumentality for concealment, transportation, distribution, dealing and financing of the illicit trade in hard drug.
“Investigation into the said properties sought to be preserved and attached revealed that they were used purposely as an instrumentalities for committing drug offences.
He further stated that to continue keeping the vehicles and motorcycles will cause their decay, depreciation in value and burdensome to the Applicant
It was further stated by the prosecution that since the seizure of the vehicles no one has ever come forward to claim the vehicles and motorcycles and the drugs recovered in them. And that the vehicles being instrumentalities used in the commission of drug offence are subject to forfeiture in line with NDLEA act.
“That no proprietary right exist in the vehicles and motorcycles in favour of the drug traffickers/suspects who are at large.”
Justice Osiahor after listening to Buhari’s submission granted an order for the interim forfeiture of the listed items “the application has merit and same is granted”.
The judge however directed the NDLEA to advertise the Interim forfeiture order in a widely circulating National Newspaper within a period of fourteen (14) days, for any interested party or parties to come forward and states why the interim order should not be made final.
Justice Osiagor then adjourned further gearing in the matter till May 26,2026.
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