A High Court in Apo, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has dismissed an application by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, seeking to reclaim an estate confiscated by the federal government.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had secured a final forfeiture order on December 2, 2024, for the estate located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone CO9, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
The estate spans 150,500 square metres and contains 753 duplexes.
Though the property was initially linked to a company that later denied ownership, Emefiele filed a motion through his lawyer, A.M. Kotoye, identifying himself as an interested party. He sought an extension of time to challenge both the interim and final forfeiture orders, claiming he was unaware of the proceedings.
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Emefiele argued that the EFCC published the interim forfeiture notice in an obscure part of a newspaper, preventing him from responding in time.
He also said he was preoccupied with multiple criminal trials in Abuja and Lagos at the time and accused the EFCC of deliberately hiding the forfeiture process, despite ongoing engagements with him on other legal matters.
However, in his ruling, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie held that while courts can revisit decisions under specific conditions, Emefiele’s case did not meet those criteria.
He said Section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, sets out clear notice requirements, which were met by the EFCC.
The judge ruled that the newspaper notice was sufficiently prominent and could not be considered obscure. He also stressed that only those with a proven legal interest in a forfeited property can challenge such proceedings, and Emefiele failed to demonstrate this.
Justice Onwuegbuzie concluded that Emefiele had ample time—over 14 days—to object to the forfeiture but failed to act. As a result, the court dismissed his application and upheld the EFCC’s seizure of the estate.
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