EXCLUSIVE: EFCC Invades Abuja Property Despite Court Order Restraining Agency, Awarding N20Million To Jona Brothers

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has again stormed a disputed land in the Mabushi area of Abuja, days after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court delivered a judgment restraining the anti-graft agency from further investigation, prosecution or interference in the matter.

SaharaReporters obtained videos showing EFCC officials recently invading the property, with one of them seen carrying mattresses inside, apparently to sleep on the premises.

On November 11, 2025, Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of the FCT High Court delivered a judgment dismissing Charge No. FCT/HC/CR/151/2023 filed against Jona Brothers Construction Ltd and its Director, Comrade Uche Vincent.

The court held that the EFCC’s investigation and prosecution over the ownership of plots 680–689, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja constituted a “gross abuse of statutory powers,” “malicious, vexatious, and oppressive use of legal process.”

Justice Osho-Adebiyi not only dismissed the case in limine (at the very outset), but also awarded a punitive cost of N20 million against the EFCC and restrained the Commission from filing any new charges or conducting any investigation relating to the land while a judgment by Justice S.U. Bature, which declared Jona Brothers the legal owner, remains in force.

The restraining order was formally issued on November 28, 2025.

But barely 24 hours later, on Friday, November 28, 2025, EFCC operatives returned to the disputed property.

EFCC Storms Land With Armed Policemen Despite Court Order

According to the company’s lawyers, about six armed policemen and 30 other individuals, some allegedly linked to businessman Chief Michael Adeojo, the EFCC’s principal complainant, invaded the land on Friday.

The policemen reportedly broke into a makeshift building on the site; accessed sensitive documents and building materials; moved in mattresses and slept on the property until December 1, 2025, leaving only after learning that Jona Brothers was mobilising to resist the intrusion.

WATCH: Moment EFCC Invaded Abuja Property With Armed Policemen Despite Multiple Court Orders Restraining Agency pic.twitter.com/xgiXMbWtyj

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 3, 2025

This latest invasion triggered fresh outrage from the defendants, who say the Commission is deliberately undermining multiple subsisting judgments.

Four Judges Have Ruled Against EFCC on Same Matter Since 2023

Court records and earlier proceedings show that four different High Court judges, namely Justice S.U. Bature, Justice Binta Mohammed, Justice Ibrahim Mohammed and Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi, have all ruled in favour of Jona Brothers, either affirming their ownership of the land or restraining EFCC from interfering.

For instance, Justice S.U. Bature declared Jona Brothers the rightful owner of the plots.

Justice Binta Mohammed on September 25, 2023, dismissed Adeojo’s attempt to set aside Bature’s judgment while Justice Ibrahim Mohammed on April 16, 2024, restrained the EFCC from “taking possession” of the land and condemned the Commission’s “violation and subjugation” of subsisting judgments.

EFCC appealed but has abandoned the appeal for over 19 months.

Meanwhile, Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi on November 11, 2025, dismissed EFCC’s criminal charge; restrained further investigation or prosecution; and slammed N20 million cost on the EFCC.

“The judges cannot all be wrong,” a source privy to the case said. “Even if the EFCC disagrees, the proper remedy is an appeal, not taking laws into its hands.”

EFCC’s Controversial Ex Parte Forfeiture Order at the Centre of the Conflict

SaharaReporters learnt that much of the ongoing tension stems from an ex parte forfeiture order the EFCC obtained on January 30, 2024 from Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.

The order, filed secretly on November 20, 2023 by prosecutors Sylvester Tahir, SAN, and Elizabeth Alabi, directed that the land be forfeited to the Federal Government, even though the EFCC’s affidavit did not claim the land was a proceed of crime.

EFCC admitted in the same affidavit that the land belonged to Chief Adeojo, but two suits challenging EFCC’s conduct were already pending.

Justice Nwite also empowered EFCC to “appoint someone to manage the land,” even though the property was, at that time, merely bare land with a perimeter fence.

Sources say the intent was clear and that once forfeited, the EFCC would hand the land to Adeojo as a supposed victim.

“One would wonder why it is now seeking to have it forfeited to the Federal Govt under such circumstances. Well, the plan was that, after forfeiting it, the EFCC would simply hand it over to Chief Micheal Adeojo as a purported victim of the alleged fraudulent judgment!” one of the sources said. 

“The EFCC has continued to rely on the Ex parte Order to attempt to dispossess the defendants of the land which was hitherto made difficult because it was bare. However, on April 16, 2024, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Mohammed of the FCT High Court delivered judgment on the fundamental rights matter in favour of the defendants, restrained the EFCC from taking possession of the land and warned it to respect the subsisting judgment of Hon. Justice Bature over the land until it's set aside by due process of law. 

“The judgment was appealed but it has been abandoned as no appellant's brief has been filed by the EFCC till date, which is more than a year and seven months after.”

Judge Nwite Declines to Vacate Ex Parte Order Despite Being Notified of Other Court Judgments

After the November 11, 2025 judgment, lawyers urged Justice Nwite to suo motu vacate his ex parte order to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

He refused, citing a separate criminal trial before Justice Kutigi, where other individuals are being prosecuted for allegedly posing as landowners and collecting N50 million.

On November 2, 2025, when Jona Brothers’ applied for joinder and to set aside the order came up, prosecutor Elizabeth Alabi sought an adjournment, saying she had been summoned by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) over a petition by Oketa.

The court granted her request and adjourned to December 10, 2025.

LPDC Approves Petition Against EFCC Prosecutor For “Malicious Falsehood”

The LPDC has now approved a hearing into the petition filed by the lawyer representing Jona Brothers, Alexander Oketa Esq.

Alabi had, during one of the proceedings, described the lawyer as “a ringleader of a complex band of fraudsters,” despite him not being a party to any EFCC case, with no criminal investigation or conviction against him.

Oketa says the EFCC chairman has ignored multiple letters calling for disciplinary action against involved personnel.

Contempt Proceedings Already Initiated Against EFCC Chairman

Meanwhile, Justice S.U. Bature has commenced contempt proceedings against the EFCC chairman.

A Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order was served on March 2, 2025, relating to earlier violations.

Oketa, in a December 1 letter, warned the EFCC chairman that the illegal activities may appear like a temporary victory, but they are a pyrrhic triumph that will bring devastating legal and reputational consequences.