The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially handed over 753 duplexes seized from former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday at the ministry's headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja. The housing estate, located in the Lokogoma district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was forfeited to the federal government following a court ruling in December 2024.
Former lawmaker and human rights activist, Shehu Sani, has praised the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for his transparency in handling the seized assets. In a tweet, Sani described the handover as "one of the most unprecedented transparent processes that has happened in Nigeria's anti-corruption history."
"The Ola Olukoyede handover of the 753 housing units seized from the ex-CBN Boss to the Federal Housing Authority is one of the most unprecedented transparent processes that has happened in Nigeria's anti-corruption history. In the past, it would just have been dubiously auctioned to proxies," Sani stated.
The final forfeiture of the estate was secured by the EFCC in December 2024 following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwegbuzie of the FCT High Court. It should be noted that Emefiele's attempt to reclaim the forfeited properties was previously thrown out by the court.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, commended the EFCC for its commitment to asset recovery and anti-corruption efforts during the handover ceremony.
"This marks a significant milestone in our collective determination to ensure that recovered assets are put to productive use in ways that directly benefit the Nigerian people. The housing estate recovered from the former Governor of the Central Bank is a case in point," Dangiwa said.
The handover represents a major development in Nigeria's anti-corruption efforts, with recovered assets being channeled toward addressing the country's housing deficit rather than being auctioned off to private interests.
