The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a multi billion naira expanse of lands approved for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the motion on notice moved by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which was not opposed by the defence lawyer, Hassan Liman, SAN.
Justice Umar directed the ICPC, on behalf of the Federal Government, to supervise the construction of the lands to the completion of the 962 housing units as earlier proposed.
The judge held that the supervision should be done in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the sole respondent in the case, and ensure the utilisation of the housing units by end users.
Justice Umar said, “An order is hereby made for the final forfeiture of Plot No. 5 in Cadastral Zone D12, Kaba District, Abuja, measuring approximately 122015.80 m² and valued at N1,944,375,000.00 (one billion, nine hundred forty-four million, three hundred and seventy-five thousand naira).
“An order is hereby made for the final forfeiture of Plot No. 4 in Cadastral Zone D12, Kaba District, Abuja, measuring approximately 157198.30 m² and valued at N3,340,500,000.00 (three billion, three hundred forty million, five hundred thousand naira), suspected of being proceeds of unlawful activity.
“An order is hereby made directing the applicant, through the ICPC, to facilitate the handover of the forfeited properties to the respondent, i.e., the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, being the victim of the alleged unlawful activity.”
Justice Umar, in the ruling delivered on Dec. 11 but the enrolled order sighted by newsmen on Tuesday, further directed the ICPC and FMBN to set up a committee whose membership is to be drawn from both agencies to implement the completion of the project.
Newsmen reports that Justice Umar had, on July 9, granted the anti-corruption commission’s prayer to temporarily take over the lands, after Akponimisingha moved a motion ex parte to that effect.
Justice Umar held that the interim forfeiture of the multi-billion-naira assets approved by the FMBN shall be pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The ICPC had, in the motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2025, listed FMBN as the sole respondent.
The lands were suspected of being proceeds of an unlawful activity.
It equally sought an order directing the commission to take over and secure the said immovable property from being converted to personal use or sold off to unsuspecting members of the public.
The ICPC further sought an order directing the commission to publish a notice in any national newspaper for interested person(s) to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to the ICPC lawyer, the land in question was part of a massive housing project initiated during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said the project was reportedly awarded to the developer, said to have received $65 million, equivalent to over ₦14 billion at the time, from FMBN.
The estate, he said, was to be named in honour of the former president.
Akponimosin, however, told the court that no single house had been constructed on the land since the funds were disbursed.
He stated that the property, presently now worth over ₦200 billion, and the promoters of the company, including some American nationals, had allegedly fled and remained unreachable.
He explained that though Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited is already facing trial before Justice James Omotosho of a sister court, the forfeiture request was a separate matter aimed at securing the land for the benefit of Nigerians and FMBN.
He urged the court to grant the plea.
In his ruling, Justice Umar granted the interim forfeiture and questioned why the entire project sum was paid upfront without corresponding progress on the ground.
The judge then adjourned the matter until Oct. 27 for a report of compliance.
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