In a significant development, the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the interim forfeiture of substantial assets linked to Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The order, issued on Friday by Justice Yellim Bogoro, encompasses the forfeiture of $4,719,054, N830,875,611, and several properties.
The assets, held in various banks, were connected to individuals and entities such as Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.
Among the properties ordered to be forfeited to the federal government are a partially constructed 94-unit 11-story building, an 11-story office space, an industrial park, a furniture plant, and several other real estate holdings in Lagos and Texas.
The forfeiture order was granted following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The anti-graft agency cited Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, as well as Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, as the legal basis for the request.
The case has been adjourned to July 2, 2024, for the motion for final forfeiture to be heard. This development marks a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the former central bank governor’s financial activities.
