Recent court documents filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have implicated the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, in a large property containing 753 duplexes and other apartments in Abuja.
The anti-corruption agency announced the recovery of this property, described as its largest single recovery in the fight against corruption, following a court ruling in December 2024.
Emefiele is currently facing prosecution in various cases involving allegations of fraud, forgery, and abuse of office.
The EFCC alleges that Emefiele, during his tenure as CBN Governor, engaged in fraudulent activities to acquire multiple properties, including the massive Abuja estate.
The investigation revealed that Emefiele and his associates were involved in illegal activities such as negotiating kickbacks and receiving unlawful payments.
The EFCC further stated that Emefiele used multiple companies to facilitate the acquisition of the Abuja property, totaling N2.2bn.
The agency obtained a court order for the temporary and subsequent permanent forfeiture of the property to the Federal Government.
Efforts to obtain a response from Emefiele’s legal team were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
In response to criticisms about concealing the property owner’s identity, an EFCC spokesperson explained that it was in line with legal proceedings and professional standards.
As the investigation continues, the EFCC maintains that revealing identities prematurely would be unprofessional and could compromise the ongoing legal process.