A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed property linked to Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu, a former Deputy Senate President, and his wife Beatrice are facing charges of organ trafficking in the United Kingdom. A man named David Ukpo accused them of trafficking him to the UK to extract his organ for their sick daughter, Sonia.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the interim forfeiture order following an ex-parte motion filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba, lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Ekwo, who granted the motion, ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the property in a national daily within seven days.
The judge directed anybody who had interest in the forfeited property to indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order on why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Ekwo then adjourned the matter until December 5 for a report.
The affected property include 10 property in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory.