A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the final confiscation of $4.7 million, N.83 billion guilds, and multiple properties related to former Nigeria Central Bank (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.
When the verdict was made on Friday, February 21, Justice Yellim Bogoro approved the final forfeiture application filed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), represented by attorney Bilkisu Buhari-Bala. The decision was filed after the court earlier rejected the application seeking to arrest Emefiele.
The confiscated funds are held in accounts of First Bank, Titan Bank and Zenith Bank by Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote de Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul, Rosajul , Exactuquote de Change Ltd, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Rosajul holds. Global Resources Ltd and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.
Affected properties include 94 11-story buildings on 2nd Avenue, Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos; Am Plaza, an 11-floor office space plan 1, Lagos; iMore Industrial Park 1 is located on ESA Street, Imore Land, Amuwo Odfiin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tutler Warehouse (Furniture Factory in Bogije), located near Ibeju-Lekki LGA Elemoro, Lagos; and from Two properties in Chevron, Nigeria are located in the lake estate in Lekki, Lagos.
Other properties include the plot of Lekki Foreshore Estate, former Eti-Osa LGA real estate; real estate in Coppel Drive 100, owned by LIPAM Investment Services; Bunmi Owulude landed in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos 1st Street; and the property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Justice Bogoro ruled that all this property and funds were the proceeds of illegal activities and must be confiscated to the federal government.
“I found that the activities of respondents here were illegal. Why did they have an immediate dollar problem, Godwin Emefiele left CBN as the governor of the bank and the salary couldn’t be paid? I think they Not a legal business activity. I think Anita Omoile is a close relative of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, who was illegitimately affected and wasted dollars illegally from CBN. So I found that all the money and property in the plan ended up being Confiscated to the federal government of Nigeria. ” the judge declared.
Through its lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo San, EFCC cited Article 17 of the Prepaid Fraud and Other Fraud-related Crime Act of 2006, and Article 44 (2) (b) of the Nigerian Constitution, to consider that these funds and funds and suspected illegal activities. Property income.
Justice Bogoro had previously approved an interim confiscation order and directed his publications in a national newspaper. Since no defendant or claimant was able to determine legal ownership of the asset, the court has now made the forfeiture permanent.
