A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of Sunflower Hotel Ltd, a multi-million naira property in Kaduna State associated with Prof. Vincent Tenebe, the former Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), to the Federal Government.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order after reviewing a motion filed by F.O. Dibang, legal counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He stated, “Order is hereby made forfeiting property set out in the scheduled attached herein found in the possession of the respondent as properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The ruling, dated October 22, was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday. The EFCC filed the motion, designated as FHC/ABJ/CS/33/2024, with Sunflower Hotel Ltd named as the sole respondent. The motion was submitted on June 21.
The hotel, located at Sunflower Crescent, Unguwan Maigero Road, Narayi in Kaduna, was previously preserved under a February 16 order by Justice Ekwo, who also instructed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper and on its website within 14 days. This publication aims to allow any interested parties to claim ownership and contest the forfeiture.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, Dare Opeyemi from the EFCC’s Economic Governance Section detailed an investigation initiated in December 2022, which revealed allegations of conspiracy, theft, and diversion of public funds involving former NOUN officials and others. The investigation found that funds embezzled from NOUN had been funneled into companies, including Crossbill International Ltd, owned by one of the suspects.
Opeyemi asserted that funds amounting to ₦275,081,896.09 traced to Tenebe’s account were used to construct Sunflower Hotel. Although Tenebe was not listed as a director or shareholder of the hotel, he allegedly acquired the property from his brother-in-law using proceeds from criminal activities.
Despite efforts to reach the implicated suspects, the investigation found no objections from any directors of the hotel during the publication period. Opeyemi emphasized the urgency of final forfeiture, citing public interest and the need for the EFCC to manage the assets on behalf of the government.
