The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, has denied any ownership of properties recently forfeited to the Nigerian government.
In a statement released by his legal team, he clarified that while some of the assets belong to his relatives, neither he nor his immediate family own them.
Emefiele’s statement was in response to media reports linking him to the forfeited properties. His legal representative, Barrister Olawale Fapohunda, emphasized that DeepBlue Energy Limited, a company established in 2009, is owned by one of Emefiele’s relatives and not by him.
The former CBN governor stressed that people should stop associating him with the seized assets.
The statement also pointed out that Justice Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, had previously lifted an interim forfeiture order on the same assets. However, Justice Yellim Bogoro recently ordered their permanent forfeiture.
The Federal High Court in Lagos ruled on February 21, 2025, that various funds and properties allegedly linked to Emefiele should be permanently forfeited. These include:
- $4.7 million and ₦830 million
- $900,000 in investments linked to Anita Joy Omoile, a relative of Emefiele
- $4.4 million in investments connected to DeepBlue Energy Services Ltd
- ₦283 million in Zenith Bank, linked to Liman Investment Ltd
- €20,000 and £1,999.50 traced to Exactquote Bureau De Change
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) argued that these funds were proceeds of illegal activities, leading to the court’s decision to seize them.
Despite the court’s ruling, Emefiele insists that the forfeited properties and funds do not belong to him. He has urged the public and the media to stop associating his name with the assets.
His legal team continues to emphasize that the properties belong to other individuals, including his relatives, not his immediate family.
This case continues to generate public interest, as Emefiele remains in the spotlight over financial dealings during his tenure as CBN governor.
