Court Orders Emefiele To Forfeit Mansions And Other Properties

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the temporary forfeiture of $4,719,054, N830,875,611, and other assets belonging to Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Justice Yellim Bogoro made the ruling today, Friday, May 14, following an ex parte request filed by EFCC counsel Bilkisu Buhari and C.C. Chineye.

The lost funds, stored in several banks, were traced back to Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

Emefiele’s properties forfeited to the federal government include; 94 Units of 11 Storey Building under Construction at 2, Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue (Formerly Club) Road, iKoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, 11 Story Office Space, Situate on 1E, Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1, Esa Street, Imoore Land purchased with (Deep Bive Industrial Town, Oriade LCDA, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant Lekki is located in Lagos.

Others include a 1,038.069 sqm plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Block A, Plot 4, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, LGA; an estate at 100, Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services; a land at 1, Bunmi Owulude Street, (Maruwa), Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; and property at 8, Bayo Kuku Road, lkoyi Lagos.

The EFCC sought temporary forfeiture of the funds and properties under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006, Section 44(2)(b) of the Constitution, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

EFCC requested “an interim order forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the funds held in the accounts listed in Schedule ‘A,’ which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

“An Interim order forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria Properties provided in 2nd Schedule ‘B’ which are proceeds of unlawful activities.

“An Order directing the publication In any National Newspaper, the interim order under reliefs 1-2 above, for anyone who Is interested in the properties and funds sought to be forfeited to appear before this Honourable Court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said properties and funds should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

In granting the ex-parte motion, Justice Bogoro said; “I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and also perused the motion just moved, together with the affidavit in support.”

The case was postponed to July 2, 2024, for the motion for final forfeiture.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli