What FG Plans To Do With 753 Duplexes Seized from Emefiele

In a significant move in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against corruption, the federal government has announced plans to auction 753 duplexes and apartments previously owned by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele. The estate, located in the Lokogoma District of Abuja, was forfeited to the government following a court ruling that linked it to illicit activities.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) initiated proceedings to seize the property, citing evidence that it was acquired through unlawful means.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on December 2nd 2024 upheld the forfeiture, dismissing Emefiele’s bid to reclaim the estate.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled that the property was “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities” and thus must be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

Government’s Plan for the Property

Following the forfeiture, the federal government has decided to auction the 753 duplexes to the public. The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has urged the government to conduct the auction transparently and use the proceeds to address Nigeria’s housing deficit.
Festus Adebayo, Executive Director of HDAN, emphasized that the sale should be handled with integrity and the funds directed toward building affordable housing for Nigerians.

“These properties should be auctioned in a transparent manner, with every naira generated directed toward building affordable housing for Nigerians who have been deprived of such opportunities due to corruption and looting of this nature,” Adebayo stated.

Additionally, the President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Prince Akintoye Adeoye, noted that the reasons behind money laundering in the sector includes the fact that real estate is not being regulated. He suggested that the property, built on mass housing land, should be auctioned to middle and low-income Nigerians.

“If you look at it, the duplexes were built on mass housing land which is typically done for low- and middle-income Nigerians who have been deprived of affordable housing for years,” Adeoye remarked.

Public and Legal Reactions

The decision to auction the properties has sparked discussions among Nigerians. While some commend the government’s efforts to reclaim assets linked to corruption, others express concerns about the transparency of the process and the potential for misuse of the proceeds. Critics argue that without clear accountability measures, the auction could become another avenue for corruption.

Human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, criticized the EFCC for withholding the identity of the individual behind the forfeited estate. He accused the agency of double standards, stating, “If it is Yahoo boys, they will line laptops and Nokia phones in front of them and send their photos globally even before their trial commences. The same EFCC is now AFRAID of BIG Thieves!”

Sowore further alleged that the former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is the unnamed owner of the forfeited estate. He questioned why the EFCC opted to cover up Emefiele’s identity, suggesting that the agency’s actions undermine public trust in anti-corruption efforts.

X user, Dr Tosan Harriman ”Emiefele is mean. 753 homes??? one man under FPMBs nose. na wa”
Facebook user, Ezinne Okoro ”Houses they will still share among themselves. which public u wan sell am for? abeg let us hear word”.

The EFCC has defended its position, stating that it would be unprofessional to name individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties. Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, emphasized the agency’s commitment to a no-sacred-cow approach in its investigations.