Details of how Former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele planned to build 774 duplexes in Abuja estate and sell each unit for N200 million has emerged.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that prior to his arrest by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), former Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, planned to build 774 duplexes in the now forfeited estate in Abuja, top officials in the commission said.
This Nigeria news platform gathered that the EFCC operatives found a receipt ordering for roofing of the large estate in Abuja with 753 duplexes in Emefiele’s home, during a search in his Lagos State home.
It had been reported that the 753 duplexes were forfeited to the Nigerian government through the EFCC, in a court ruling on Monday.
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Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, on Monday, ordered the final forfeiture of an estate in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 Units of duplexes and other apartments.
The EFCC, while refusing to disclose the name, had said in a release that it was the single largest asset recovery by the Commission since its inception in 2003.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, one of the top sources said, “Emefiele planned to build 774 duplexes. He wanted to name each after a Nigerian Local Government Area. He was to sell each unit for N200million each.”
The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
Recall that SaharaReporters had however exclusively reported that Emefiele owned the large estate in Abuja which has the 753 duplexes forfeited to the Nigerian government.
Giving an update to SaharaReporters on Tuesday, a top source in the EFCC revealed how the sprawling estate was linked to Emefiele.
“There was no document linking him to the ownership of the estate. Our operatives only found a receipt for ordering roofing. It was found during a search on his Lagos home led by EFCC investigators,” the source had revealed.
Emefiele is standing trial on several charges bordering on corruption, including in the new naira redesign before the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
Justice Maryann Anenih had adjourned the matter till December 4, 2024, and January 21, 2025, for continuation of trial.
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, had earlier blasted the EFCC, for refusing to name the former Nigerian “top brass” who owned the large estate in Abuja with 753 duplexes.
Sowore, former presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, had noted on Monday that the EFFC was afraid of big thieves and had become their public relations officer.
In an update, the human rights activist had said, “I just heard from the grapevine that the 753 duplexes forfeited by an FCT court in Apo belong to Muhammadu Buhari’s CBN gov, Godwin Emefiele.”
The EFCC had said, “The forfeiture of the property to the federal government by a former top brass of the government was pursuant to EFCC’s mandate and policy directive of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities.”
“In this instance, the Commission relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006 and Section 44 (2) B of the Constitution of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to push its case,” the EFCC had added.
Ruling on the Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent has not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property, “which has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities, the property is hereby finally forfeited to the federal government.”
