The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, on Monday, rejected an application by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, seeking to regain ownership of an estate comprising 753 duplexes and apartments already forfeited to the Federal Government.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Presiding over the matter, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ordered the final forfeiture of the sprawling property, situated at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone CO9, Lokogoma District, Abuja, covering approximately 150,462.84 square metres.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier secured both interim and final forfeiture orders regarding the property. Although initially recovered from an undisclosed former government official, the estate has been widely associated with Emefiele.

Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Kotoye, Emefiele filed a motion as an interested party, seeking an extension of time to challenge the interim and final forfeiture orders issued on December 2 and December 24, 2024, respectively.

In his submissions, Emefiele argued that he was unaware of the forfeiture proceedings, accusing the EFCC of publishing the interim forfeiture notice in an inconspicuous section of The Punch newspaper, thereby limiting his ability to respond appropriately. He further contended that his ongoing criminal trials across various courts in Abuja and Lagos during that period made it impractical for him to notice the publication.

Additionally, Emefiele accused the EFCC of deliberately withholding information about the forfeiture proceedings despite maintaining regular communication with him on other pending legal issues.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie maintained that while a court’s power becomes limited after a final judgment (functus officio), exceptions exist under suitable circumstances. He cited Section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, which outlines proper notification procedures.

The judge dismissed Emefiele’s claim of the publication being obscure, emphasizing that a half-page notice in a national newspaper like Punch could not be considered hidden. He further ruled that only individuals with a legitimate, demonstrable interest could intervene in forfeiture matters, likening it to the standard required for joining parties to a lawsuit.

Justice Onwuegbuzie concluded that Emefiele had sufficient time—over 14 days—to challenge the forfeiture but failed to act. Consequently, the court dismissed his application, ruling in favor of the EFCC.