Embattled Central Bank of Nigeria’s ex-governor, Godwin Emefiele, allegedly owns the large estate in Abuja with 753 duplexes forfeited to the Nigerian government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a court ruling on Monday.
The EFCC, while announcing the court’s ruling, refused to name the owner of the estate.
However, human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, on Monday, took to his X platform to announce that Emefiele owned the Estate.
In a post on his X pllatform, formerly Twitter, the former presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, said that the EFFCC was now afraid of big thieves and has become their public relations officer.
In an update, the human rights activist 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.”
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 until December 4, 2024, and January 21, 2025, for continuation of trial.
Sowore had earlier blasted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for refusing to name the former Nigerian “top brass” who owned the large estate in Abuja with 753 duplexes.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that 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 said in a release that this was the single largest asset recovery by the Commission since its inception in 2003.
The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
According to Sowore, the same EFCC which deliberately refused to name the seized 753 duplexes Abuja estate boldly and without commencement of court trial, published names and photos of yahoo boys with proud display of laptops and small Nokia phones.
Sowore, who said this in a post on his verified social media account, wrote, “What is the name of the “former top brass” with 753 duplexes seized by the EFCC in Abuja?
“The @officialEFCC is now doing PR for thieves. They seized this large estate with 753 duplexes from a single individual in Abuja but can’t mention his or her name.
“If it is Yahoo boys, they will line laptops and Nokia phones in front of them and send their photos globally even before their trial is commenced. The same EFCC is now AFRAID of BIG Thieves!”
In another post, Sowore wrote, “They have told you every day since the days of the Structural Adjustment Program of IBB and Co. that the government has no business building houses for citizens, but a “TOP Brass” stole from citizens and built 753 duplexes for himself.”
“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 said.
Ruling on the Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent have 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.”
