Former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to overturn a ruling that granted federal authorities full control over a 753-unit housing estate in the Lokogoma area of Abuja.
The estate was previously seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under court orders granted in December 2024, after being traced to an unidentified former government official.
Emefiele, represented by legal counsel A.M. Kotoye, argues that he had a legitimate interest in the property and was wrongfully excluded from the original proceedings.
He claimed that the EFCC failed to properly notify him, publishing the interim forfeiture notice in what he described as an obscure section of a newspaper, making timely response difficult.
He explained that at the time, he was occupied with three separate criminal trials in Abuja and Lagos, which hindered his ability to detect the notice.
He further accused the EFCC of intentionally keeping the forfeiture process concealed, despite its ongoing engagement with him on other legal matters.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, presided over by Justice J.O. Onwuegbuzie, dismissed his motion, stating that the publication met the standards outlined in Section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and ruled that the half-page notice in a national newspaper was sufficiently visible.
Emefiele’s appeal, dated April 30, 2025, argued that the interim and final forfeiture orders were flawed as they were based on speculation and inadmissible evidence. He maintained that the property was legally acquired and that the forfeiture orders breached Section 44(1) of the 1999 Constitution. The appeal also emphasized that he had clearly demonstrated both legal and equitable interests in the estate.
Additionally, a letter dated May 26, 2025, signed by A.O.M. Adebowale on behalf of Emefiele’s legal team, was addressed to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The letter called attention to the pending appeal and urged the ministry to suspend all actions regarding the property. It noted that the estate had already been handed over to the ministry and was being prepared for public auction, even though notices of appeal and injunction were served to the EFCC on May 2 and May 22, respectively.
What you should know
Godwin Emefiele is challenging the government’s takeover of a large Abuja estate, claiming the seizure was unconstitutional and carried out without proper notice.
His legal team has asked that any plans to auction the estate be suspended while the appeal is underway.
