A former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Abdul-Wahab Hanan, has filed an affidavit in the High Court seeking to overturn a freezing order placed on four properties linked to him.

The order, issued by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following Hanan’s arrest, has frozen his assets, prompting the former CEO to challenge its legality.

According to a report by citinewsroom.com, Hanan listed the affected properties in his affidavit, dated October 21, 2025, as follows:


  1. Three-bedroom house, GPS Address NS-056-9690, Kpalsi, Tamale


  2. Uncompleted storey building, GPS Address NR-151-7759, Gumani, adjacent to Baobab Guest House, Tamale


  3. 0.27-acre plot, GPS Address NS-320-6111, Estate Junction, Dagomba Street, Tamale


  4. 0.29-acre plot, GPS Address NR-000-8199, Workers College, Tamale

Hanan contends that EOCO’s actions were legally flawed, arguing that the office wrongly included assets that were either acquired before his appointment at NAFCO or are not owned by him. He also claims that the freezing order was obtained ex parte, without giving him an opportunity to be heard, in violation of his constitutional rights and statutory requirements under Sections 33–35 of the Economic and Organised Crime Act, 2010 (Act 804).

The former CEO further argues that EOCO acted unreasonably by freezing properties that have no connection to his tenure at NAFCO or any alleged offences. He cited the three-bedroom house in Kpalsi, acquired in 2011 and completed in 2013, before his appointment. Hanan noted that the house even hosted part of his Islamic marriage ceremony, asserting that it cannot be classified as “tainted property” or linked to any criminal proceeds.

He also disputed EOCO’s claim over two other properties: the uncompleted storey building at Gumani, in which he claims no interest, and the 0.27-acre plot at Estate Junction, Tamale, which he asserts belongs to Al-Qarni Enterprise. Hanan stated that the Estate Junction plot had been transferred to the furniture enterprise before EOCO’s investigations began, yet it was still frozen without “any legal or factual basis whatsoever.”

According to Hanan, EOCO has failed to show that any of the properties are tainted, connected to criminal activity, or acquired through unlawful means. He maintains that the freezing order infringes on his constitutional rights to property, privacy, a fair hearing, and the presumption of innocence.

The High Court is scheduled to hear the motion to review the freezing order on December 18, 2025.