The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of properties valued at over N11.14 billion and N1.04 billion linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Government.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke issued the order after hearing an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by counsel Chineye Okezie.
The judge had previously upheld the EFCC’s motion for temporary forfeiture on June 5, 2024, filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo.
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The EFCC alleged that Emefiele used fraud proceeds to purchase properties by proxy. The agency named current CBN staff Obayemi Oluwaseun Teben and Akomolafe Adebayo, along with former staff Olubunmi Makinde, as accomplices. The properties, primarily located in upscale areas of Abuja, were listed in two schedules, A and B.
Justice Aneke ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper, allowing interested parties to contest it. No objections were raised when the case resumed on June 21, leading to the final forfeiture order.
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The properties in Schedule A include shops and apartments in Maitama and Wuse, while Schedule B includes lands and apartments valued at N1.04 billion, allegedly paid for on behalf of Oluwaseun.
The affidavit stated that the CBN staff used their positions to secure foreign exchange allocations in exchange for kickbacks, with Makinde acting as the link between them and various companies.