Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, May 4, 2026, ordered the interim forfeiture of two vehicles linked to suspected internet fraudsters, Christopher Chikudozie Ubammadu and James Femi Joshua.
The vehicles are two grey-coloured Lexus ES 350 cars with registration numbers SMK-774JN and EKY-753JZ.
The judge gave the order, following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, through its counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa.
Moving the application for interim forfeiture, Kofarnaisa told the court that it was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Nwike Fortune, an investigating officer with the EFCC.
In the affidavit, Nwike stated that the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Commission received intelligence regarding the activities of suspected internet fraudsters operating in the Apapa area of Lagos State.
He also stated that operatives of the Commission, on January 29, 2026, carried out a sting operation during which several suspects were apprehended and the vehicles were recovered from their residences.
Fortune further stated that since the vehicles were impounded and brought to the Commission’s office, no individual had come forward to claim ownership.
Further investigations, he said, revealed that both vehicles are owned by Ubammadu and Joshua. He added that the suspects allegedly used proceeds of fraudulent activities to acquire the vehicles.
Kofarnaisa, therefore, submitted that the vehicles were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities. Justice Owoeye granted the application after considering the evidence presented.
The judge also directed the Commission to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper and ordered any interested party to appear before the court within 14 days to show cause why the vehicles should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria
