A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and multiple properties linked to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Presiding Judge Yellim Bogoro granted the final forfeiture application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a judgment delivered on Friday.
Justice Bogoro also ordered the final forfeiture of investments worth $900,000 traced to one of Emefiele’s close relatives, Anita Joy Omoile, Channels TV reported.
The judge had previously dismissed an application by an interested party seeking to stop the judgment. Subsequently, the final forfeiture application filed by EFCC counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala was granted.
Interim judgement
In May 2024, the same court ordered an interim forfeiture of the funds and properties linked to Emefiele following an ex-parte application by the EFCC, represented by Buhari-Bala.
The funds, now forfeited to the federal government, were held in First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank accounts managed by individuals and entities, including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.
Properties affected by the interim forfeiture include:
- 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos
- AM Plaza, an 11-floor office space on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos
- Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos
- Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos
- Two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos
- A plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, LGA
- An estate at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services
- Land at 1 Bunmi Owulude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
- A property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos
The EFCC cited Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution in its application, seeking the interim forfeiture on the grounds that the funds and properties are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
What you should know
According to the judge, “I find that the activities of the respondents here were unlawful.
Why should they have a problem with dollars immediately after Godwin Emefiele left CBN as governor and salary could not be made? I hold that they are not legitimate business activities.
Anita Omoile is a close crony of the former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele who has been given undue influence to unlawfully sway dollars from CBN. Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties in the schedule are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Finding merit in the EFCC’s application, Justice Bogoro ordered the interim forfeiture and mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper.
“The applicant should publish this order in any daily newspaper circulating all over the federation for anybody interested to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made,” Justice Bogoro stated.
This notice invites interested parties to show cause within 14 days why a final forfeiture order should not be granted. The case is adjourned to July 2 for the motion for final forfeiture.