Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of $4.7m, ₦830m, Properties Linked to Emefiele

The Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the permanent confiscation of $4.7 million, ₦830 million, and numerous assets linked to former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele.

In a decision issued Friday, Justice Yellim Bogoro also ordered the final confiscation of investments totalling $900,000 connected to one of Emefiele’s close relatives, Anita Joy Omoile.

The court also ordered the final forfeiture of another $4.4m worth of investment traced to Deep Blue Energy Services Ltd as well as another sum of ₦283m in Zenith Bank traced to Liman Investment Ltd, €20,000, and £1,999.50, traced to Exactquote Bureau De Change (BDC), all companies linked to Omoile.

Justice Bogoro granted the final forfeiture of all funds to the Federal Government of Nigeria at the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), determining that they were the fruits of illicit acts.

Individuals and businesses such as Anita Omoile, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd, and Deep Blue Industrial Park Ltd controlled First Bank, Zenith Bank, and Titan Bank accounts containing forfeited funds.

The forfeited properties includes 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, an 11-floor office space on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse, a furniture Plant at Bogije located near Elemoro, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos; and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

The other properties are a plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Eti-Osa, LGA; an estate located at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services; a land at Bunmi Olowude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; and a property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Bilikisi Buhari-Bala & six other prosecutors, the EFCC had told the court in July 2024 that Emefiele, while he was CBN governor from 2014 to 2023 and during the pendency of his tenure, procured some of his close relations, cronies and allies to allegedly conceal and disguise the funds which are proceeds of his illegal activities in various accounts within and outside Nigeria.

The Commission also claimed that Anita Joy Omoile used Lipam Investment Services Limited and several other companies she owned to operate a bureau de change business without a licence, while allegedly receiving an illegal large inflow of dollars from the then-Central Bank Governor, Godwin Ifeanyi Emiefele, as a result of her relationship with him.

Omoile, who is claimed to be on the run, allegedly had her pals, Esther Aderohunmu, Lucia Ewubor, and Calista Ogbonna, to deposit large quantities of money into several accounts.

Justice Bogoro had ordered an interim forfeiture of the property and asked the EFCC to make a publication in the newspapers for anyone with interest to show cause why the assets should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

In her judgement, Friday, on the forfeiture proceedings, Justice Bogoro first dismissed an application from Leke Sanni & Associates seeking to arrest the judgement.

Justice Bogoro held that all the properties and funds are proceeds of unlawful activities which are bound to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The judge held: “I find that the activities of the respondents here were unlawful. Why should they have a problem with dollars immediately Godwin Emefiele left CBN as a governor of the Bank and salary could not be made?

“I hold that they are not legitimate business activities. I hold that Anita Omoile is a close crony of the former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele who has been given undue influence to unlawfully sway dollars from the CBN.

“Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties in the schedule are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”