The Economic and Financial crimes Commission, EFCC, has announced that the auctioning of forfeited Trucks/Vehicles and Petroleum Products arising from suit FHC/PH/MISC/65/2019, earlier scheduled to commence today, September 9, 2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with the inspection of the items by interested bidders has been postponed.
Also postponed is the bid opening ceremony earlier fixed for Thursday, September 12, 2019.
The reason for the postponement was not immediately clear but sources knowledgeable in the matter said the postponement was as a result of legal hurdles faced by the commission in the selling of the trucks.
The commission had during a road walk in Port Harcourt on Thursday, July 10 with the theme: “Common African Position on Asset Recovery”, said that it would auction off about 244 trucks in Port Harcourt.
The Port Harcourt zonal head of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa said EFCC arrested 244 trucks carrying illegal crude products and that soon it will be auctioned and that the proceeds will be utilized by the Nigeria government.
He added that over 200 cases relating to illegal oil bunkering are before the commission, adding that the EFCC has in their custody, more than 70 vessels that are undergoing investigation and prosecution processes.
He stressed that the challenge the commission is having is on the issue of repatriation of illicit funds.
