By Khadijah Shehu Abdulkareem
The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has overturned the final forfeiture order issued on the assets of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Government.
In a split decision of two-to-one, delivered on April 9, 2025, and detailed in a certified true copy (CTC) obtained and reported by The Punch on Sunday, the appellate court set aside the judgement and ordered a retrial of the case at the lower court.
Emefiele was on this Monday arraigned before an FCT High Court for unlawfully acquiring a 753-home Estate in Abuja, which has been forfeited to the federal government.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Lagos had, in its ruling on November 1, 2024, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of Emefiele’s assets.
The forfeited assets included two fully detached duplexes located at No. 17B, Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped land measuring 1,919.592 square metres with survey plan No. DS/LS.340 at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; a bungalow at No. 65A Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos and a four-bedroom duplex at No. 12A, Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.