Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, has made a significant claim about Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Sowore alleges that Emefiele owns a large estate in Abuja, which includes 753 duplexes. The estate was recently forfeited to the Nigerian government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This estate, located in Lokogoma District, Federal Capital Territory, covers 150,500 square meters. On Monday, a court in Abuja ordered the final forfeiture of the property, marking the largest asset recovery by the EFCC since its establishment in 2003.
Emefiele is currently facing several corruption charges, including those related to the controversial naira redesign. His trial is ongoing at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, with the next hearings scheduled for December 2024 and January 2025.
Sowore criticized the EFCC for not revealing the name of the estate’s owner earlier, claiming that the agency has been protecting high-profile figures like Emefiele. He compared this to the way the EFCC often publicly identifies and displays images of young people accused of internet fraud, showcasing their laptops and phones.
In a tweet on Monday, Sowore shared his sources, stating, “I just heard from the grapevine that the 753 duplexes forfeited by an FCT court in Apo belong to Muhammadu Buhari’s CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele.”
This latest revelation adds fuel to ongoing concerns about corruption among top government officials and raises questions about the EFCC’s handling of such high-profile cases.
Sowore, who said this in a post on his verified social media account wrote, “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!”
In another post, Sowore wrote, “They have told you every day since the days of the Structural Adjustment Program of IBB and Co. that the government has no business building houses for citizens, but a “TOP Brass” stole from citizens and built 753 duplexes for himself.”
“The forfeiture of the property to the federal government by a former top brass of the government was pursuant to EFCC’s mandate and policy directive of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities.
“In this instance, the Commission relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006 and Section 44 (2) B of the Constitution of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to push its case,” the EFCC had said.
Ruling on the Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent have not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property, “which has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities, the property is hereby finally forfeited to the federal government.”
