The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of nine high-value properties linked to the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, the court granted an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which suspects the assets are proceeds of unlawful activities.
The forfeiture order follows allegations that Mr. Sylva was a financier of a failed coup plot against President Bola Tinubu last year. Although the former Governor of Bayelsa State has not been formally charged as a defendant in the ongoing treason trial, he was named as a co-conspirator in the charges filed against six other individuals, including a retired major-general and a retired navy captain.
The affected assets are situated in prime locations across the Federal Capital Territory. These include four blocks of terraces in Dakibiyu, a duplex with an office complex in Wuse Zone 4, and a standalone duplex in Maitama.
Other properties involve a block of flats in Garki and an office building currently occupied by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Justice Egwuatu directed the EFCC to publish the interim order in at least two national newspapers, allowing any interested parties to show cause within 14 days as to why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The matter has been adjourned until May 25, 2026, for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.
The EFCC had earlier declared Sylva wanted as he has remained abroad since security operatives raided his Abuja residence in October 2023.
While Mr. Sylva previously issued a statement denying any involvement in the alleged coup, he has yet to return to Nigeria to address the allegations or the forfeiture proceedings.