The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final court order forfeiting N150 million linked to serving lawmaker Nicholas Mutu to the Federal Government.

The order was granted by Justice J. O. Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, after ruling that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activities.

The forfeiture followed an application filed by the EFCC through its legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ekele Iheanacho, under relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.

The court had earlier issued an interim forfeiture order and directed that it be published in a national newspaper to allow any interested party to challenge the action.

However, no sufficient evidence was presented to justify why the funds should not be permanently forfeited.

In its investigation, the EFCC alleged that Mutu received kickbacks amounting to more than N400 million from Starline Consultancy Services while serving as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

According to the commission, the payments were allegedly channelled through the bank accounts of companies linked to the lawmaker, including Airworld Technologies Ltd and Oyien Homes Ltd, where he reportedly holds controlling interests alongside members of his immediate family.

The anti-graft agency told the court that the consultant had approached the House committee to facilitate the recovery of debts owed to the NDDC by oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta. It alleged that after the committee’s intervention led to the recovery of more than N100 billion for the commission, part of the consultant’s earnings was paid to companies associated with Mutu as kickbacks.

The EFCC further alleged that during its investigation, Mutu procured a backdated subcontract agreement between Airworld Technologies Ltd and the consultant in an attempt to justify the payments and conceal their true nature. Investigators maintained that no work was carried out under the purported subcontract, a claim the consultant reportedly confirmed.

The commission also informed the court that Mutu refunded the N150 million during the investigation but later argued that the repayment was not voluntary and insisted the funds were received through legitimate business transactions.

After reviewing the evidence and objections filed by counsel to Mutu and Airworld Technologies Ltd, Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the N150 million represented proceeds of unlawful activities and ordered its final forfeiture to the Federal Government.

The case is separate from an earlier criminal money laundering trial in which Mutu was discharged and acquitted, a judgment the EFCC has appealed.