Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge a judgment that handed over full ownership of a large housing estate in the Lokogoma area of Abuja to the federal government.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had obtained a court order to seize the 753-unit estate, which was initially linked to another unnamed ex-government official.
However, Emefiele, through his lawyer A.M. Kotoye, insists he was not involved in the forfeiture proceedings despite having an interest in the property. He is now asking the appellate court to overturn the lower court’s decision.
“I was unaware of the forfeiture,” the embattled former banker said in a court filing.
Emefiele also accused the EFCC of hiding the case from him, claiming that the agency deliberately published the interim forfeiture notice in an obscure section of a newspaper, making it hard to notice. He argued that his attention was also divided at the time, as he was managing three separate criminal cases in Abuja and Lagos.
The trial court dismissed his objections, holding that due process had been followed and that the publication of the notice was adequate.
The judge ruled that the EFCC’s method of notification “could not reasonably be described as hidden.”
Not satisfied with the ruling, Emefiele filed an appeal on April 30, asking the appellate court to reverse the judgment delivered on April 28, and set aside both the interim and final forfeiture orders issued on November 1 and December 2, 2024.
He also wants his earlier application of January 28, to be granted.
According to Emefiele, the trial court misinterpreted his arguments and failed to consider important evidence. He claimed the forfeiture orders were based on “hearsay, suspicion and no proper evidence.”
He also maintained that he had both legal and equitable interests in the property, even though the court said he failed to prove ownership.
“The entire ruling is a miscarriage of justice,” Emefiele declared.
He added, “The failure of the trial judge to properly evaluate the affidavit and documents before him is perverse and has caused a miscarriage of justice. The orders were made in breach of the 1999 Constitution and are therefore null and void.”
Meanwhile, his legal team has written to the minister of housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, urging the government to suspend any planned auction of the estate pending the outcome of the appeal.
“We are aware that the properties may soon be sold to the public. We have already served the EFCC with a notice of appeal and an injunction,” the letter read.
The federal government had earlier announced plans to auction the estate to low- and middle-income Nigerians.