Emefiele: Supreme Court Affirms Final Forfeiture of Properties, $2 Million, Share Certificates to Government
The Supreme Court on Friday, July 17, 2026 affirmed the final forfeiture of seven landed properties, the sum of $2,045,000 (Two Million, Forty-Five Thousand United States Dollars) and share certificates linked to a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Saulawa, the court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which had ordered the final forfeiture of the assets on the grounds that they were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
Following the final forfeiture order made by the Federal High Court, Emefiele challenged the decision before the Court of Appeal, which reversed the judgment of the trial court.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court's decision, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, approached the Supreme Court, which has now restored and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court.
The forfeited properties are:
A fully detached duplex of identical structures situated at No. 17B Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos;
An undeveloped parcel of land measuring 1,919.592 square metres, covered by Survey Plan No. DS/LS/340, situated at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos;
A bungalow situated at No. 65A Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos;
A four-bedroom duplex situated at 12A Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos;
An industrial complex under construction on 22 plots of land in Agbor, Delta State;
Eight units of undetached apartments on a plot measuring 2,457.60 square metres, situated at No. 8A Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, Lagos;
A full duplex together with all its appurtenances on a plot measuring 2,217.87 square metres, situated at 2A Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The apex court also ordered the forfeiture of $2,045,000 (Two Million, Forty-Five Thousand United States Dollars) and share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited to the Federal Government.
The final forfeiture order was originally granted on November 1, 2024, by Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos in Suit No. FHC/L/MISC/500/24, following an application filed by the EFCC through its counsel, Director, Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The application, brought as an action in rem, sought the final forfeiture of properties reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities. The application for the forfeiture was supported by an affidavit deposed to by David Jayeoba, an investigating officer with the EFCC, who averred that investigations revealed that the assets were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
In its originating motion, the Commission urged the court to grant the final forfeiture under the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, contending that the assets were liable to forfeiture because they were reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means.
With the Supreme Court's unanimous decision affirming the judgment of the Federal High Court, the final forfeiture of the seven landed properties, the $2.045 million and the share certificates to the Federal Government of Nigeria has now been conclusively upheld.
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Aisha Achimugu: Court Grants Final Forfeiture of N4.6b Jewelries, N4.3b Exotic Cars, $50, 000 , N30, 000,000 to Government
A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in the Apo, Abuja, has granted the final forfeiture of properties linked to a business woman, Ms Aisha Achimugu to the federal government.
The properties include jewelries worth N4,645,170, 294.9 billion (Fourt Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-Five Million, One Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Four Naira, Nine Kobo) eleven exotic cars worth N4.293,000, 000 (Four Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety-Three Million Naira), $50, 000( Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) and N30, 000,000 (Thirty Million Naira) cash.
Justice Jude Onwugbuzie granted the order on Thursday, July 16 2026 in a judgment on the application for final forfeiture of the properties by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
Details, shortly.
EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of University, Radio Station, 46 Other Properties Linked to Malami
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, secured the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Among the forfeited properties are Rayhaan University, Kebbi State, including the Rayhaan University Permanent Site, Rayhaan University Temporary Site, Rayhaan University Third Site, the Rayhaan University Vice Chancellor's House and Rayhaan Radio along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi.
Delivering judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, held that the Commission had successfully established that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and were not acquired from lawful sources of income.
The properties finally forfeited to the Federal Government are: a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 within Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District, Abuja (File No. AN 11352); a two-winged large three-storey building situated at No. 3 Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Cadastral Zone A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited); Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, comprising a five-storey building (now luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Jabi, with 53 rooms/suites); Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, comprising terraces; Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Ltd., Maitama, with 15 rooms); and Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent), Asokoro District.
Others are: Shop No. C52, Citiscape – Shariff Plaza, Plot 739, Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, FCT, Abuja; No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; Plot 157, Lamido Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a commercial plaza comprising commercial toilets, laundering facilities, warehouse tanks adjacent to Birnin Kebbi Market; 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road; and another 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road.
Others are: a four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase II, Birnin Kebbi; Shops Nos. A36 and B3, Vegas Mall, Wuse II, Abuja; No. 26 Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja; No. 27 EFAB Estate, 5th Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja; a four-bedroom house with two-room boys' quarters at No. 10B Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA, Kaduna; Plot No. 13, IPENT 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja; a bedroom duplex with boys' quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja; two warehouse shops B40 and B46, Wuse Market, Abuja; acquisition of twin houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 1401, Gudu District, Abuja; and properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage, namely: nine units of three-bedroom bungalows, three units of two-bedroom bungalows, and 5.4 hectares of land.
Also forfeited are the Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory in Kebbi State, including the factory buildings, factory machines and plant units, factory mosque, Rayhaan Mill staff quarters, and the Rayhaan Bustan Building.
Others are assets at Azbir Arena, Kebbi State, including Azbir Hotel, Printing Press, Gallery, Gardens, Mosque, Azbir Clothing, and Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket.
Other forfeited properties include the Al-Afiya Energy tanker garage opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi; Rayhaan Security House off Sani Abacha Bypass, Birnin Kebbi; an uncompleted two-storey plaza located opposite Central Motor Park (Eastern Park), Birnin Kebbi; Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd. filling station structure along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin Kebbi, near Jambali Automobile Workshop; the assets of Zeennoor Hotel at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano, with 131 rooms; Zeennoor Mosque at Kabuga Satellite Town, off Gwarzo Road, Kano; and the old Zeennoor Hotel building.
It would be recalled that on January 6, 2026, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the interim forfeiture order following an ex parte motion moved by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.
Sequel to the granting of the interim forfeiture order, and in compliance with the order of the court, the EFCC published the interim order in national dailies, inviting interested persons to come forward and show cause why the final forfeiture order should not be granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC subsequently filed a motion for the final forfeiture of all the properties.
Meanwhile, following the publication of the interim order, Mr. Malami, SAN, and 14 other persons, mainly his family members and associates, filed applications to show cause and also urged the court to set aside the interim forfeiture order on the properties. They further challenged the jurisdiction of the court to grant the order and urged it not to grant the final forfeiture order.
The case was heard before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on May 27, 2026, and the matter was thereafter adjourned for judgment.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, the court held that the EFCC had sufficiently established that the 48 properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities, and that the respondents failed to discharge the evidential burden placed on them, as they could not show the legitimate sources of the funds used in acquiring the properties.
The court further held that the respondents merely claimed ownership of the properties without providing proof of how they acquired them with funds from lawful sources.
According to the court, non conviction-based forfeiture proceedings require respondents to adduce evidence showing the lawful sources of the funds used in acquiring the properties, and not merely make bare assertions of ownership.