Court Dismisses Emefiele’s Application

A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has rejected an application filed by Godwin Emefiele, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor. Emefiele sought to overturn the forfeiture of a 150,462.84-square-metre piece of land situated at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone CO9, Lokogoma, Abuja.

Delivering judgment on Monday, April 28, 2025, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) provided Emefiele and other interested parties sufficient opportunity to contest the interim forfeiture order but failed to act within the required period.

The court’s decision came in respect of suit M/226/25 and Motion No. M/15766/2024.

The land forfeiture had earlier been finalized on December 2, 2024, following EFCC’s application, which argued that the property was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.

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Dissatisfied, Emefiele filed a motion urging the court to:

1. Extend the time for him to challenge the December 2, 2024, forfeiture order;

2. Set aside the forfeiture order on grounds of nullity, misrepresentation, and lack of jurisdiction;

3. Grant him leave to file an affidavit to show cause against the permanent forfeiture.

Emefiele argued that the forfeiture process was conducted “in secrecy,” claiming he only became aware of it through media reports due to his involvement in three separate criminal trials at the time.

He further alleged that the interim forfeiture was publicized in an “obscure portion” of THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER on November 6, 2024, making it difficult for him to become aware of it.

Opposing the motion, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), filed a 13-paragraph counter-affidavit, asserting that Emefiele had been given ample time to respond but chose not to act.

Justice Onwuegbuzie agreed with the EFCC’s position, ruling that the publication in THE PUNCH was neither obscure nor disguised.

“It is difficult for this Court to accept that a half-page publication in a national daily like THE PUNCH can rightly or honestly be described as an obscure publication,” the judge held.

He noted that the publication, located on page 31 of the newspaper, was clearly visible and properly conveyed the interim forfeiture order.