A legal battle over assets linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has ended with the Supreme Court restoring the final forfeiture of seven high-value properties to the Federal Government.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, upheld the appeal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision and reinstated the forfeiture order issued by the Federal High Court.
The properties include two detached duplexes at Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped plot and a bungalow on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex on Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complex under construction in Agbor, Delta State; eight units of apartments on Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a duplex on Bank Road, Ikoyi.
The Supreme Court’s decision followed an appeal by the EFCC after the Court of Appeal in Lagos, in June 2025, nullified the forfeiture order and directed the Federal High Court to conduct fresh proceedings, ruling that some parties who claimed ownership of the assets were not given a fair hearing.
However, the apex court upheld the EFCC’s arguments, set aside the appellate court’s judgment and restored the final forfeiture order, effectively vesting the properties in the Federal Government.
