By Abiola Olawale
Recent reports have allegedly implicated the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the purported owner of a large estate in Abuja that was recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The New Diplomat reports that on Monday, the EFCC made news when it announced that it has recorded its single largest asset forfeiture investigation and trial since its inception in 2003.
The development came after Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, December 2, 2024, gave a ruling on a final forfeiture of an estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 Units of duplexes and other apartments.
The estate was said to be located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
The EFCC said the properties were recovered from a “former top brass of the government”.
However, a statement issued by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore confirmed that the “former top brass of the government”, which the EFCC failed to name, was Emefiele.
Sowore said the properties were allegedly recovered from Emefiele who is standing trial on several charges bordering on corruption, including in the new naira redesign case before the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, wondered why the EFFC is purportedly afraid of big thieves.
He said: “I just heard from the grapevine that the 753 duplexes forfeited by an FCT court in Apo belong to Muhammadu Buhari’s CBN gov, Godwin Emefiele.”
“What is the name of the “former top brass” with 753 duplexes seized by the EFCC in Abuja?
“The @officialEFCC is now doing PR for thieves. They seized this large estate with 753 duplexes from a single individual in Abuja but can’t mention his or her name.
“If it is Yahoo boys, they will line laptops and Nokia phones in front of them and send their photos globally even before their trial is commenced. The same EFCC is now AFRAID of BIG Thieves!”
