The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of properties worth over N11.14 billion and N1.04 billion belonging to the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele to the Federal Government.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke issued the final forfeiture order
after considering a motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, represented by counsel Chineye Okezie on Friday.
The judge said, “Having carefully considered the application
and submission of counsel, it is hereby ordered as follows: – that a final
forfeiture order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the
Federal Government of Nigeria, properties contained in Schedule A herein which
were traced and reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of
unlawful activities.”
The property included shops and apartments at Cadastral Zone
Maitama and Wuse.
Aneke said, “A final forfeiture order of this Honourable
Court is, hereby, made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria,
properties contained in Schedule B herein which properties were traced to have
been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The property included lands and apartments which were paid
for on behalf of Oluwaseun at a total value of N1.04 billion.
Obayemi Oluwaseun Teben and Akomolafe Adebayo working with
Olubunmi Makinde “used their positions and Influence as CBN staff to secure
retail and Special allocation of Foreign Exchange to different companies in
exchange for kickbacks, according to the affidavit.
“That OLUBUNMI MAKINDE is the link between OBAYEMI OLUWASEUN
TEBEN and AKOMOLAFE ADEBAYO and the various companies applying for the purchase
of foreign exchange.
“That OBAYEMI OLUWASEUN TEBEN and AKOMOLAFE ADEBAYO as staff
of the Central Bank of Nigeria have access to the bidding processes and bidding
Data of companies who have applied for the approval of form Ms to the CBN
through their various commercial banks.”
Aneke on June 5, 2024, granted an interim forfeiture
following a motion by EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo.
Oyedepo told the court that Emefiele was suspected of
purchasing the choice properties by proxy using proceeds from fraud.
He also identified two current and one former CBN staff as
Emefiele’s accomplices in the alleged fraud.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the
application, the accomplices are Obayemi Oluwaseun Teben, Akomolafe Adebayo,
and former CBN staff Olubunmi Makinde, among others.
The properties are primarily located in upscale areas of the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The judge directed the EFCC to publish the order in a
national newspaper, inviting any interested parties to show cause why the final
forfeiture order should not be issued.
The judge then scheduled a hearing for the motion for final
forfeiture.
On June 21, no party appeared in court to contest the
interim order. Consequently, Chineye Okezie moved forward with her motion for
permanent forfeiture.
After reviewing a 41-paragraph affidavit by EFCC
Investigating Officer Michael John Idoko, along with 19 attached exhibits and a
written address signed by Okezie, Justice Aneke granted the application for
permanent forfeiture.
The EFCC listed the properties in two schedules, A and B.