Supreme Court Restores Final Forfeiture Of Emefiele's Multi-Billion Naira Properties, $2.045Million To Nigerian Govt

The assets forfeited to the Federal Government include seven prime properties located in Lagos and Delta states.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has restored the final forfeiture of several high-value properties and $2.045 million linked to former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, overturning a Court of Appeal judgment that had ordered a fresh hearing of the case.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, Justice Mohammed Idris, on behalf of a panel led by Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Saulawa, upheld the 2024 decision of Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos, which ordered the final forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government.

The apex court held that the Court of Appeal erred in setting aside the forfeiture order and directing the trial court to hear the matter afresh.

Justice Dipeolu had granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)'s application for the final forfeiture of the assets after finding that the anti-graft agency had established that the properties and funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.