Order EFCC to Unseal Our Properties in Abia Now, Trademore Tells Court

0
512
File Photo: Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, Nigeria.
Article1

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been told by Trademore International Holding Limited to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unseal properties belonging to it.

Trademore, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/696/2020, had taken EFCC to court challenging the sealing of its building and asking that it be unsealed.

In an ex parte order granted July 20 by Justice I. E. Ekwo, the court restrained the anti-graft and its agents from further interrogating, harassing or arresting Trademore boss or any other staff of the company pending final determination of the suit.

READ ALSO:

Video: Another ‘Trade War’ is Brewing Between Nigeria and Ghana

A copy of the ex parte order was addressed to EFCC Acting Chairman by the court after counsel to the plaintiff (Trademore), N. J. Kalu, Esq., alleged that the defendant (EFCC) had refused service.

Amongst other prayers, the plaintiff (Trademore) was asking the court for an order declaring that the defendant unlawfully trespassed into the plaintiff estates located within Abia State, including a luxury apartment estate located on Akanu Ibiam Street along bank road, Umuahia, MIllenium apartment located along Finbars Street Umuahia, Ogwumabiri event centre located along Okpara Square, Umuahia, Trademore estate located between Ngwu (Bende Local Government Area of Abia State) and Ubani Ibeku (Umuahia North Local Government Area).

Others are: declaring the sealing and taking over of the plaintiff estates located within Abia State as unlawful and illegal, declaring that all sealed estate is owned by Trademore and notes placed on the properties be removed.

He also prayed that the agency should write a letter of apology to Trademore for the wrongful sealing and taking over possession of the properties and declaring that none of the plaintiff estates sealed and taken over by the defendant belongs to the former governor.

EFCC operatives had sometime in July sealed off Trademore company over alleged links to a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu

In spite of the glaring evidence that the property under dispute has no direct links to the former governor, it was gathered that the estates located in Abia State had remained sealed till date.

READ ALSO:

APC Chieftain in Lagos, Lanre Rasak, Dies of Coronavirus

Meanwhile, Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers, Legal Practitioners and Notaries Public, solicitors to the Trademore’s chairman, has written a Caveat Emptor Notice to the general public published on a national daily, insisting that Trademore International Holding Limited is the real owners of the property sealed by the EFCC.

Idowu Sowunmi