Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and his family members have been able to recover three properties worth about N500m from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Punch reports that the properties include four terrace houses located at 44 Mamman Kotangora Crescent in the highbrow Katamkpe Extension area of Abuja; a parcel of land in Guzape District and a duplex at Olori Mojisola Onikoyi Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Upon visit to the location of the properties, the erstwhile red paint inscription, ‘EFCC, Keep Off!’ had been wiped off on the walls of the buildings.

Obanikoro, who defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party about a year ago, was under investigation along with his two sons for alleged money laundering.

The ex-minister was accused of receiving N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) in 2014.

About N2.2bn out of the funds was allegedly handed over to the then governorship candidate of the PDP in Ekiti State, Governor Ayodele Fayose, while N1.3bn was said to have been given to the then Osun State governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Obanikoro has, however, been converted to a prosecution witness and is expected to testify against Fayose who he allegedly handed part of the money to.

The ex-minister and his wife, Moroophat, had, in 2016, sued the EFCC for seizing the houses but lost as the court ruled that the EFCC had the right to seize properties of persons under investigation.