Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has approached the Appeal Court seeking to overturn both the interim and final forfeiture orders on 753 duplexes in Abuja, according to court documents dated April 30, 2025.

Emefiele's appeal contends that the forfeiture orders were granted without proper evidence, challenging what has been described as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC) largest single asset recovery since its establishment in 2003.

The property forfeiture stems from a December 2024 ruling by Justice Jude Onwegbuzie of the FCT High Court. While the EFCC did not explicitly name Emefiele when announcing the forfeiture, only referring to a "former top brass of the government," the ex-CBN governor later filed a motion as an interested party through his lawyer, A.M. Kotoye.

In April, Emefiele had approached the FCT High Court seeking an extension of time to challenge both the interim and final forfeiture orders. His application argued that the entire forfeiture process occurred without his knowledge, alleging that the EFCC published the interim forfeiture notice in an "obscure" section of a newspaper, making it difficult for him to respond in a timely manner.

Justice Onwegbuzie dismissed Emefiele's application, ruling that the half-page notice published in a national newspaper satisfied the requirements of Section 17(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act 2006. The judge rejected the claim that the publication was obscure, stating it was sufficient and could not reasonably be described as "hidden."

The estate was initially linked to a company that subsequently denied ownership. Recently, the EFCC handed over the forfeited duplexes to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, signaling the government's intention to repurpose the properties.

The case represents a significant development in Nigeria's ongoing anti-corruption efforts, with the outcome of Emefiele's appeal potentially setting precedents for future high-profile asset forfeiture cases.