Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to overturn a lower court judgment that granted the federal government full ownership of a 753-unit estate in the Lokogoma district of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier secured interim and final forfeiture orders over the estate, initially linking it to an unnamed former government official. However, Emefiele has now come forward, claiming an interest in the property and arguing that he was unjustly excluded from the proceedings.
In a petition filed on April 30, 2025, Emefiele, through his legal counsel A.M. Kotoye (SAN), is asking the appellate court to:
- Reverse the April 28, 2025 judgment,
- Nullify the interim and final forfeiture orders dated November 1 and December 2, 2024, respectively, and
- Approve his earlier motion filed on January 28, 2025, challenging the seizure.
According to court documents, Emefiele contends that he was unaware of the forfeiture process, arguing that the EFCC published the notice in an obscure section of a national newspaper—making it difficult to find.
“The EFCC deliberately concealed the proceedings despite being in constant contact with me on other criminal matters,” Emefiele stated in his affidavit, further noting that he was “preoccupied with three simultaneous criminal trials in Abuja and Lagos” at the time.
While the trial court held that the anti-graft agency followed due process and the publication met legal requirements, Emefiele insists that the ruling amounted to a miscarriage of justice.
“The trial judge failed to adequately evaluate the affidavits and supporting documents. The decision was based on hearsay, suspicion, and lacked proper evidentiary foundation,” he argued. “I have both legal and equitable interests in the estate, and the orders were made in breach of the 1999 Constitution.”
In a related development, Emefiele’s legal team has written to the Minister of Housing, urging the government to suspend its plans to auction the estate to low- and middle-income Nigerians, pending the determination of the appeal.
“We are aware that the properties may soon be sold to the public. We have served the EFCC with a notice of appeal and an injunction,” the letter stated.
The federal government had recently announced plans to dispose of the seized estate as part of a broader housing intervention scheme, aiming to improve access to affordable housing for Nigerians.
Emefiele’s appeal is the latest twist in a string of high-profile legal battles he faces since his suspension and arrest in 2023.
