EFCC seize Bala Mohammed and his son’s Properties in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the course of ongoing investigation of the former FCT minister has seized four houses worth N872m from former minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen Bala Mohammed and his son.

The EFCC on Friday made the disclosures about the confiscation of the houses from Mr Mohammed and his son, Shamsudeen Bala.

The Nation reports that the ex-minister is also under investigation for alleged fictitious contracts of about N1billion, allocation of 12 choice plots worth billions of naira, and 37 other commercial plots of land worth about N8 billion to his suspected front named Tariq Hammoud as well as the controversial N1 trillion Abuja land swap.

The EFCC is presently probing at least 16 companies linked with fictitious contracts awarded by the former FCT minister.

The EFCC also brought in for Shamsudeen, Hammoud and top directors of the Federal Capital Territory administration, including that of Treasury, Ibrahim Bomoi; Land, Babayo Mainasara, and Abuja Geographical Information Service (AGIS), Ms Jamila Tangaza.

Ms Tangaza, who had been in detention in the past one week, was said to be battling for bail as at Friday evening.

She was said to have been awarded questionable contracts worth N800 million apart from benefiting from plots of land from the former FCT minister.

The ongoing probe of the ex-minister followed petitions against him, including complaints pending since 2013. Following preliminary findings, the EFCC obtained an interim forfeiture order to confiscate a N650 million house at 1 and 3, Mariam Mukhtar Street, Asokoro.

The same forfeiture order was secured to seize the ex-minister’s son’s three duplexes costing about N222 million in the Apo Area of Abuja.

On the fate of the ex-minister, an EFCC source said: “We are investigating him, we are yet to invite him for questioning. Certainly, we are closing in on him.”