The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly secured a final forfeiture order for a warehouse built on a landed property measuring 1.925 hectares, allegedly linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
The forfeited property is located at the Lagos/Ibadan expressway in Magboro, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Channel Television reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday ordered the final forfeiture, including 54 general-purpose steel containers.
What transpired in court
On November 28, 2024, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had filed a motion ex parte seeking forfeiture of the assets.
- The commission had alleged that the properties “were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.”
- Justice Deinde Dipeolu then ordered the interim forfeiture of the assets and directed the EFCC to publish the order in the national newspaper.
- The court also held that any interested person has a specific timeline to appear before the court and show cause why it should not be finally forfeited.
- At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Oyedepo told the court that the commission had published the interim order on national dailies and no interested party had shown cause as directed.
Oyedepo cited Section 44(2)(B) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
He urged the court to approve“a final forfeiture order to the Federal Government of Nigeria for properties contained in Schedule A; a warehouse built on a landed property measuring 1.925 hectares, lying, being, and situate at Km 8, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, and 54 general-purpose steel containers, which are reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”
“The application succeeds, and the same is accordingly granted,” Justice Dipeolu held.
The judge held a final forfeiture order is hereby granted, forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties contained in EFCC’s Schedule A, which are reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
What you should know
This development adds up to several properties and funds linked to Emefiele that have been forfeited to the federal government by the High Courts.
- The Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the final forfeiture of $2.045 million and seven properties, all linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
- This was disclosed in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
- The ruling was issued on Friday, November 1, 2024, by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, following a motion brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that the assets were acquired through unlawful means.
- Justice Dipeolu’s ruling was based on a motion filed by EFCC’s Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Rotimi Oyedepo stating that the EFCC had reason to believe these assets were acquired from proceeds of unlawful activities tied to Emefiele’s previous roles in the banking sector.
Meanwhile, Emefiele’s legal team has options to test the decisions of the lower courts at the Appeal Court and Supreme Court for a final determination of the dispute.
