The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has linked former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to a 753-duplex estate in Abuja allegedly acquired through forex kickbacks and other fraudulent activities.
Court documents revealed that Emefiele and his associates used N2.2 billion, funneled through three companies, to purchase the property spanning 150,500 square meters in Lokogoma District. The EFCC claims the companies were used to launder proceeds of corruption, with payments split into N900m, N700m, and N600m.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, of the FCT High Court, recently ordered the permanent forfeiture of the estate to the Federal Government. The EFCC stated that no one had contested its claims despite a prior interim forfeiture order being advertised.
The property, initially intended for mass housing, has been abandoned since Emefiele’s arrest in June 2023. Documents related to the estate were allegedly found in the office of one of Emefiele’s associates, Ifeanyi Omeke.
Efforts to reach Emefieles legal team for comments were unsuccessful. The EFCC, however, defended its initial decision to withhold the property’s ownership details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Emefiele is currently facing multiple corruption charges in court.
