Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to overturn a judgment that granted the federal government ownership of a large estate comprising 753 housing units in the Lokogoma area of the capital.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously obtained interim and final forfeiture orders for the estate, which was initially linked to an unnamed former public official. However, Emefiele, through his lawyer, A.M. Kotoye (SAN), has applied to be recognized as an interested party, arguing that he was denied the opportunity to be heard.
In his motion, Emefiele sought an extension of time to challenge both the interim forfeiture order granted on December 2, 2024, and the final order issued on December 24, 2024. He told the court that he was unaware of the proceedings, claiming the EFCC had published the notice in an obscure section of a newspaper, which made it difficult for him to respond promptly.
Emefiele also pointed out that he was simultaneously facing multiple criminal trials in Abuja and Lagos during the relevant period, which further hindered his ability to discover and challenge the forfeiture orders. He accused the EFCC of deliberately concealing the proceedings, despite being in regular communication with him over other pending cases.
In a judgment delivered by Justice J.O. Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, the court dismissed Emefiele’s motion. The judge ruled that the publication met the legal notice requirements under Section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The court also rejected Emefiele’s claim that the notice was obscure, noting it occupied half a page in a national newspaper and was sufficiently visible.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Emefiele filed a notice of appeal dated April 30, 2025, listing the EFCC as the sole respondent. He is seeking five reliefs, including a reversal of the trial court’s decision and a declaration that both the interim and final forfeiture orders are null and void.
In his grounds of appeal, Emefiele argued that the lower court’s orders were based on hearsay and conjecture, which are inadmissible in law. He further maintained that there was no breach of any known law that would justify invoking Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) or Section 17(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act to justify the forfeiture.
“The orders were made in contravention of Section 44(1) of the Constitution and are therefore invalid,” the appeal stated, adding that Emefiele has both legal and equitable interests in the properties.
Meanwhile, in a letter dated May 26, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, co-counsel A.O.M. Adebowale urged the ministry to halt any planned actions on the disputed property, pending the outcome of the appeal.
The letter read in part: “We write to bring to your notice the pendency of our appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, following the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, delivered on April 28. We are aware that the properties have been handed over to the Ministry of Works and Housing and may soon be sold to the public through auction. We served notice of appeal to the EFCC’s legal department on May 2, 2025, and subsequently served a notice of injunction on May 22, 2025.”
The legal team called on the ministry to refrain from further action on the estate until the matter is resolved in court.
