The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo has struck out a motion filed by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, seeking to reclaim a massive estate comprising 753 duplexes and apartments in Abuja.
The ruling was delivered on Monday by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, who ordered the final forfeiture of the estate located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone CO9, Lokogoma District.
The property spans over 150,000 square metres and had earlier been seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The estate, originally linked to an unnamed senior government official, was widely speculated to be connected to Emefiele. Following its seizure, the EFCC obtained both interim and final forfeiture orders in December 2024.
Emefiele, through his legal counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), approached the court as an interested party, seeking to set aside the forfeiture.
He argued that the EFCC failed to properly notify him, claiming the forfeiture notice was published in an obscure section of The Punch newspaper.
He further maintained that his involvement in ongoing criminal trials across Abuja and Lagos hindered him from responding in time.
Additionally, he accused the EFCC of deliberately concealing the forfeiture process, despite their continued engagements with him over other legal matters.
However, Justice Onwuegbuzie dismissed Emefiele’s claims, ruling that the anti-graft agency complied with the notice requirements as prescribed under Section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
He emphasized that the publication in a national newspaper could not be considered obscure.
The court held that Emefiele had sufficient opportunity—more than the statutory 14-day window—to challenge the forfeiture, but failed to do so. It also maintained that only individuals with clear legal interest in such property may intervene in forfeiture proceedings.