Court orders final forfeiture of hotel linked to ex-NOUN VC

The multimillion-naira Sunflower Hotel Ltd. in Kaduna State, which is connected to Prof. Vincent Tenebe, the former vice-chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, has been finally forfeited to the Federal Government by Federal High Court Justice Inyang Ekwo in Abuja.

The ruling, which was granted last Tuesday, came after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC) attorney, F.O. Dibang, submitted a request on notice for ultimate seizure of the property on June 21.

In his decision, Justice Ekwo stated that the Federal Republic of Nigeria would be forfeited the property listed in the attached schedule that was discovered in the respondent's possession and was thought to be the profits of illegal activity.

On February 16, the court had issued an interim preservation order for the hotel and directed the EFCC to publicise the order within 14 days in a national newspaper and on its website to notify any individuals or bodies with claims on the property to come forward.

According to an affidavit by Dare Opeyemi, an EFCC operative in the Economic Governance Section, the EFCC received intelligence in December 2022 concerning conspiracy, theft, diversion of public funds, and criminal breach of trust involving Monday Onyeme, former Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue and former Bursar of NOUN, and Adamu Danlami, owner of Crossbill International Ltd, both currently at large.

The investigation revealed that Onyeme, while serving as NOUN Bursar, conspired with other staff to divert funds to companies where he held interests, with Crossbill International Ltd receiving a significant share of these diverted funds.

It was also discovered that Crossbill International Ltd. moved money to a number of organisations, including Sunflower Hotel Ltd., Tanadi Ltd., Wanone Investment Ltd., and the Namutane Foundation, using cash that had been stolen from NOUN.

The EFCC used account statements demonstrating transfers and withdrawals from Blacksnow Ltd., Eno Global Services Nigeria Ltd., and Crossbill International Ltd. to support its claims.

All of the entities listed in the affidavit were linked to Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe, the EFCC found during the investigation. The development of Sunflower Hotel Ltd., an initially unfinished building he purchased from his brother-in-law, Yakubu Mamman Akhagbeme, in Kaduna, was financed by N275,081,896.09, which could be linked to Tenebe's account.

Subsequent investigations revealed that Prof. Tenebe was neither a shareholder or director of Sunflower Hotel Ltd., but that she had purchased and finished the hotel with money that was allegedly embezzled from NOUN. Documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission revealed that the hotel was not owned by the company's directors.

The EFCC filed an affidavit of compliance and published the notice on March 5 in accordance with the court's interim decision. During the time of publishing, no person, group, or establishment disputed ownership of the hotel.

The EFCC contended in the move on notice for final forfeiture that it is necessary to finish the forfeiture in the public interest so that the Federal Government can assume complete management and control of the property on behalf of the National Open University.

The EFCC is listed as the petitioner and Sunflower Hotel Ltd. as the respondent in the case, which is designated FHC/ABJ/CS/33/2024. The hotel is located at Sunflower Crescent, Unguwan Maigero Road, Narayi, Kaduna State.