A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of properties valued at N11.14 billion, linked to the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele. The order was issued on Wednesday by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke following a motion ex parte filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The motion was argued by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo, who was joined by Bilkisu Buhari-Bala and Chineye Okezie in the proceedings. Oyedepo informed the court that the properties in question were allegedly purchased by Emefiele through proxies using proceeds from fraudulent activities. These properties are located in upscale areas of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Additionally, the EFCC accused three CBN staff members, Obayemi Oluwaseun Teben, Akomolafe Adebayo, and Olubunmi Makinde, of being Emefiele’s accomplices. They allegedly exploited their positions to secure retail and special allocations of foreign exchange for various companies in return for kickbacks.
Justice Aneke ordered that the interim forfeiture be published in a newspaper to allow any interested parties to contest the final forfeiture. The court will hear the motion for final forfeiture on June 21st.
This ruling marks a significant step in the ongoing investigation and prosecution of alleged financial crimes associated with the former CBN governor and his associates.
