A Federal High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has ordered the permanent forfeiture of several properties linked to Theophilus Ebonyi, General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International, following findings that they were proceeds of unlawful activities.
Delivering judgment, Justice M.O. Olajuwon ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had sufficiently proven its case under the Advance Fee Fraud Act.
The court held that Ebonyi failed to provide convincing reasons why the assets should not be confiscated, thereby granting the final forfeiture in favour of the Federal Government.
The affected properties include a 23-room hotel and event centre located in Nyanya Gwandara, a warehouse and sachet water production facility in Karu, two office complexes, a primary school, and over N1 million recovered from a bank account.
According to the EFCC, Ebonyi was arrested in 2023 in connection with an alleged N1.3 billion fraud scheme.
Investigations revealed that he operated through Theobarth Global Foundation, which he allegedly used to advertise a fictitious $20 billion grant purportedly linked to the Ford Foundation.
“The investigation established that the so-called grant was entirely fabricated and had no connection whatsoever with the Ford Foundation,” the EFCC said.
The agency further disclosed that victims, including individuals and organisations, were persuaded to pay about N1.8 million each as registration fees to access the supposed grant.
“Unsuspecting members of the public were deceived into believing they would benefit from the intervention fund. In total, the scheme generated approximately N1.39 billion,” the commission added.
The EFCC also confirmed that the Ford Foundation publicly denied any affiliation with Ebonyi or his foundation.
Justice Olajuwon, in his ruling, stated, “The respondent has not shown sufficient cause why the properties should not be forfeited.
The court is satisfied that they are proceeds of unlawful activity and hereby orders their final forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The judgment marks a significant step in the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to recover assets linked to financial crimes and protect the public from fraudulent schemes.
