The House of Representatives has commenced move to strip the President of the powers to order the forfeiture of moveable and immovable assets and to vest such powers in the courts.

The House passed for second reading a Bill seeking to Amend the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) Act Cap. C43, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to give discretionary powers to the judge of a High Court to order forfeiture of assets of culpable persons.

Leading a debate on the general principles of the Bill, its sponsor and Deputy Speaker AHMED IDRIS WASE said the discretionary powers previously granted to the President by the Principal Act would be replaced by that of a High Court judge as such powers could be abused by the President.

The Deputy Speaker averred that the provision for forfeiture in the laws is geared towards ensuring that persons found guilty of offences do not benefit from the proceeds of those offences.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases has crossed the 27, 000 marks as the country announced 626 new infections. 

The NCDC in a tweet last night said the new infections were recorded in 19 states and the FCT increasing the country’s figure to 27, 110.

Lagos State had the highest number of fresh infections for the day – 193 – and is followed by the FCT with 85 cases of the virus with Oyo State having 41 persons infected.

Other states with new infections are: Edo –  38,  Kwara – 34,  Abia – 31,  Ogun – 29, Ondo – 28, Rivers –  26, Osun – 21, AkwaIbom – 18,  Delta – 18, Enugu – 15, Kaduna – 13, Plateau – 11, Borno – 8, Bauchi – 7, Adamawa – 5, Gombe – 4 and Sokoto – 1

According to the NCDC, Nigeria has also discharged 10,801 people with 616 deaths reported from the virus as of July 2nd, 2020.