Abuja, Nigeria — Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has lost his bid to reclaim a massive Abuja estate seized by the Federal Government, following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, on Monday.
The contested property, located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, spans over 150,000 square metres and consists of 753 duplexes and apartments.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier secured interim and final forfeiture orders over the estate, initially linked to a former senior government official.
Emefiele, through his counsel, A.M. Kotoye, SAN, had approached the court seeking to overturn the forfeiture orders, claiming he was an interested party. He argued that the EFCC failed to adequately notify him, accusing the agency of publishing the forfeiture notice in an obscure section of a newspaper during a time when he was entangled in multiple criminal trials across Abuja and Lagos.
However, Justice Onwuegbuzie, in his ruling, dismissed the claim, noting that the EFCC’s half-page notice in a national newspaper was sufficient. He stated that Emefiele had 14 days to challenge the forfeiture but failed to do so.
The court stressed that only parties with a direct and proven interest in a forfeited asset could intervene, emphasizing that Emefiele had ample opportunity to contest but did not act in time.
“The motion fails and is accordingly dismissed,” the judge ruled, firmly siding with the EFCC.
This ruling marks another legal setback for Emefiele, who is already battling multiple corruption charges across Nigerian courts.
