The Federal High Court in Lagos has set September 12 for hearing applications related to the seizure of assets and funds tied to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu presided over a court session where legal representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Emefiele, and other interested parties presented their arguments.
News About Nigeria reports that the EFCC’s lawyer, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, said that the hearing aims to review compliance with a previous interim forfeiture order issued on August 15, 2024.
The order temporarily seized $2.045 million and several properties linked to Emefiele, pending a final decision.
The EFCC published a forfeiture notice in a national newspaper on August 28, 2024, allowing interested parties to object.
Emefiele’s legal team filed two applications, but they were not ready for a hearing, prompting a request for a short adjournment.
After considering all arguments, the judge adjourned the case to September 12, 2024, for the hearing of all pending applications.
The case involved assets ordered for interim forfeiture, including properties in Ikoyi, Lekki, and Delta State, as well as share certificates linked to Emefiele.
On August 15, Akintayo Aluko, a vacation judge, issued an interim order of forfeiture against Emefiele following an application filed by Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to EFCC.
Oyedepo said the forfeited assets were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The court had directed the commission to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper so that anyone interested in the properties could appear before the court and show cause within 14 days of why it should not be made in favour of the government.
