A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of $2.04 million and several properties linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. Justice Akintayo Aluko issued the order on Thursday, along with the interim forfeiture of seven properties associated with the suspended CBN Governor.

The properties include two fully detached duplexes at 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped land measuring 1,919.592 sqm on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; a bungalow at 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complex under construction on 22 plots in Agbor, Delta State; eight units of undetached apartments on a plot measuring 2,457.60 sqm at 8a Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a full duplex on a plot measuring 2,217.87 sqm at 2a Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Justice Aluko also ordered the interim forfeiture of two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust. The judge’s decision followed an application filed and moved by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who was joined by Chineye Okezie and Zeenat Atiku-Bala.

Oyedepo argued that the money and properties sought for forfeiture were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. He added that the orders were made pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, Section 44 (2)(B) of the 1999 Constitution, and the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

An affidavit deposed by Idi Musa, an EFCC investigator, supported the application. Musa’s affidavit detailed the investigation of alleged fraudulent activities perpetrated by senior CBN officers, leading to the acquisition of properties through unlawful means. The affidavit revealed that the investigation uncovered the purchase of properties, including two duplexes in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, paid for by Ifeanyi Omeke, a Deputy General Manager and Head of Litigation at Zenith Bank Plc, on behalf of Emefiele.

The EFCC’s investigation also led to the recovery of $2.04 million and the share certificates from Omeke’s office at Zenith Bank’s head office in Victoria Island, Lagos. The affidavit further stated that the properties were acquired to conceal the unlawful origin of the funds used, with titles traced back to shell companies associated with Emefiele.

Justice Aluko granted the interim forfeiture orders after considering Oyedepo’s submissions and the legal authorities cited.