by Azeez Adeniyi

Former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar (retd.) has forfeited five properties to the Federal Government, Punch reports.

It was gathered that the properties include four mansions and a castle with a mosque.

Justice J.T Tsoho ordered the interim forfeiture of the assets after an affidavit sworn by Hammadama Bello and Sylvanus Tahir for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The properties include a six-bedroomed duplex with two-bedroomed ‘boys quarters’ located at 14 Vistula Close off Panama Street, Maitama which he allegedly bought for N700m; a castle with a swimming pool and a mosque located at 1853 Denf Xiao Ping Street, Asokoro Extension which he allegedly purchased at N860m and renovated at the cost of N66m in 2012.

Other properties include a four-bedroomed duplex with a ‘boys quarters’ located at Road 38, Street 2, Ministers’ Hill, Mabushi which he allegedly bought at a cost of N500m; a three-bedroomed duplex and a three-bedroomed guest chalet located at 8 Kabala Road Unguwan Rimi, GRA, Kaduna State allegedly purchased at the cost of N80m.

The judge also ordered immediate stoppage of any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienation or otherwise of the assets or properties.

Justice Tsoho also directed the Chairman of the EFCC to appoint a firm to manage the assets and lodge proceeds from them in an interest-yielding account.

The judge, however, ordered that the EFCC shall file an undertaking to compensate Umar if it turns out that the forfeiture order ought not to have been granted.

Umar has been accused of diverting N558m from the Air Force account monthly.

Azeez