A federal judge in Abuja, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, has ordered the government to take control of NOK University in Kaduna State and several other properties. This decision includes important buildings at the university, such as the Senate building, ICT building, Faculty of Medicine, and others.
The ruling came after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) proved that Anthony Hassan, who started the university, used money from illegal activities to buy these properties. The court had previously issued a temporary seizure order in 2022, which has now been made permanent.
In addition to losing the university, Hassan will also forfeit Gwasmyen Water Factory, Gwasmyen International Hotel, and Gwasmyen Event Centre, all in Kaduna.
Justice Abdulmalik rejected Hassan’s claim that the properties were bought with investors’ money. The judge also dismissed a claim by Victor Olisah about owning the land under Gwasmyen International Hotel, due to lack of evidence.
The court found that Hassan, who was a finance director in the Federal Ministry of Health, could not prove that the money used for these properties was legally obtained.
The EFCC’s investigation showed that Hassan held various government positions from 2001 to 2020, and used these roles to illegally gain wealth. His job history includes working at the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Niger Delta, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the Ministry of Works and Housing.
The EFCC found that Hassan secretly owned NOK University, which was registered under his family members’ names. The money used to buy and build the university was traced back to him, not to any investors.
Victoria Ibiama
