BREAKING: Nigerian High Court Orders Forfeiture Of N11.14Billion Choice Properties Linked To Emefiele

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Lagos granted the Nigerian Government an interim forfeiture order for properties valued at N11,140,000,000.00 connected to the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke made the order following a motion filed and argued by the counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who led Bilkisu Buhari-Bala and Chineye Okezie in the proceedings.

Oyedepo informed the court that Emefiele was suspected of having bought the choice properties by proxy, with the proceeds of fraud.

The EFCC identified one former CBN staff member and two current ones as Emefiele's accomplices in the alleged fraud.

The properties are mostly located in highbrow parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Justice Aneke also ordered the EFCC to publish the order in the ThisDay newspaper for any interested party to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made.

The judge adjourned till June 21 for the hearing of the motion for final forfeiture.

Similarly, on Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that a Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the interim forfeiture of funds and properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of corruption and unlawful activities to the Nigerian government.

The funds and properties were linked to Emefiele’s close relations and allies.

Justice Y. Bogoro granted the ex parte order in a judgment issued on May 23, 2024, following an application by the EFCC seeking the interim forfeiture of the funds and properties to the government.

In the court papers obtained by SaharaReporters, the anti-corruption agency sought an “interim order of this Honourable Court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the funds warehoused in the accounts particularized in Schedule ‘A’ which funds are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

It also sought an “interim order of this Honourable Court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria properties particularized in Schedule ‘B’ which properties are reasonably suspected to have been purchased with proceeds of unlawful activities”.

The names of domiciliary account holders and details of the amounts are as follows: Omoile Anita Joy, FBN 2006310741, $11,600.29; Anita Joy Omoile, Zenith Bank 5070954448, $119,377.06; Deep Blue Energy Serv. Proj. Ac. Limited Zenith Bank 5070623908, $41,392.84; Deep Blue Energy Services Limited Zenith Bank 5070079653, $650,740.76; Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd FBN 1000423839, $7,007.76; Lipam Investment Services Limited FBN 1000883228, $724,605.00; Anita Joy Omoile Titan Bank 0000321290, $987,819.54; Lipam Investment Services Ltd Titan Bank 0000130139, $1,814,204.44; Deep Blue Industrial Park Limited Titan Bank 0000130323, $100,000.00; Lipam Investment Services Limited Zenith Bank Limited 50771716098, $234,601.47; Tatler Services Limited Zenith Bank 5070165448, $26,691.31.

The total amount in dollar accounts forfeited under Schedule ‘A’ is $4,719,054.

The details of naira accounts forfeited under Schedule ‘A’ are as follows: Omoile Anita Joy FBN 2004228235 N128,843.07; Lipam Investment Services Limited FBN 2040018438, N2,004,657.99; Til Communication Nigeria Limited Zenith Bank 1016977706, N3,493,772.75; Omoile Anita Joy 3005768043, N3,868,032.44; and Omoile Anita Joy FBN 1000360369, N4,309,843.60.

Others are Rosajul Global Resources Ltd N457,195.96; Lipam Investment Services Limited N46,388,033.07; Lipam Investment Services Limited N50,380,709.75; Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd N6,625,227.49; Lipam Investment Services Limited N676,284,227.49; Joy Anita Omoile N8,449,726.60; Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd N90,267; Deep Blue Energy Services Limited N2,807,613.28; Til Communication Nigeria Limited N4,988,725.00; Lipam Investment Services Limited N6,253,524.31; Deep Blue Marine Management Limited N9,141,249.80; Anita Joy Omoile N4,196,432.86; and Deep Blue Industrial Park Limited N1,006,769.07.

The total amount in the naira accounts is N830,875,611.00.

Similarly, the court ordered that the following should be forfeited: Exactquote Bureau De Change €20,000; £1,999.50, Anita Joy Omoile Investment worth $900,000; Deep Blue Services Ltd Investment worth $4,414,801.76 and Lipam Investment Ltd N283,086,186.73.

The properties to be forfeited under Schedule ‘B’ are 94 units of 11 storey building (2nd Avenue Heights Residential Development in Ikoyi, Lagos (Under construction); AM Plaza, 11 storey office space situated on 999.78sqm at Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos (Under construction); Imore Industrial Park (Deep Blue Industrial Park Ltd) at Amuwo-Odofin in Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture plant at Bogije Lagos) in Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos (Ongoing); 2 properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria at Twin Lakes Estates, Lekki (Completed property); one inland plot measuring 1,038,069 sqm at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Estate located at Coppel, Texas at 100, Cottonwood Drive, Texasowned by Lipam Investment Services Limited; land at Bunmi Owulude Street, Lekki, Lagos and property situated on land measuring 4,553,722 sqm at Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Also sought was an order of “this honourable court directing the publication in any newspaper, the interim order under reliefs 1-2 above, for anyone who is interested in the properties and funds sought to be forfeited to appear before this honourable court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said properties and funds should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.