Court orders final forfeiture of N12bn properties linked to Emefiele

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of properties worth N12.18 billion.

The properties were linked to Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The court ordered the final forfeiture of the properties after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a motion to that effect.

Chukwujekwu Aneke, the judge, had ordered an interim forfeiture of the properties on June 5.

The properties are located in upmarket areas of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Aneke ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the order in a national newspaper, for any interested party to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made.

The properties were listed by the EFCC in two schedules — A and B.

The judge said: “Having carefully considered the application and submission of counsel, it is hereby ordered as follows: that a final forfeiture order of this honorable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, properties contained in Schedule A herein which were traced and reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.

“That a final forfeiture order of this Honourable Court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, properties contained in Schedule B herein which properties were traced to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Emefiele is facing multiple counts of fraud and abuse of office.