Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has filed an appeal against the interim and final forfeiture of 753 duplexes in Abuja. The properties were seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024 following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwegbuzie of the FCT High Court. Emefiele argues that the forfeiture orders were issued without adequate evidence and that he was not properly notified of the proceedings.
The EFCC had described the estate as its “largest single asset recovery” since its inception in 2003. Although initially linked to a company that denied ownership, Emefiele later joined the suit as an interested party. He said he was unaware of the forfeiture process, claiming the notice was published in an obscure section of a newspaper, making it difficult to respond within the required timeframe.
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In April 2025, Justice Onwegbuzie dismissed Emefiele’s application to set aside the forfeiture, ruling that the publication met legal requirements under section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act. The judge held that a half-page notice in a national daily could not be considered hidden. The EFCC has since handed over the duplexes to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Emefiele, through his lawyer A.M. Kotoye, has now approached the Court of Appeal, insisting that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the documents presented. He claims the ruling constituted a miscarriage of justice and violated the 1999 Constitution, arguing he holds legal and equitable interests in the estate despite the lower court’s decision.
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