The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final forfeiture of a warehouse traced to a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.

Top sources close to The Guardian disclosed that Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos ordered the forfeiture on Thursday, December 19, 2024, with the property forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The property, a warehouse built on a landed property measuring 1.925 hectares, situated at Km 8, along Lagos- Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, contained 54 General-purpose steel containers.

The containers were filled with sewing machines of various shapes.

Earlier on November 28, the judge had ordered the interim forfeiture of the assets after the Commission had moved an application for their forfeiture.

Following directive of the court to the EFCC to publish the order in two national newspapers for any interested person to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited, the Commission later approached the court for the final forfeiture of the assets.

According to the source, the court also ordered the forfeiture of the land holding the warehouse to the government

“At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, told the court that the EFCC had complied with the court’s directives to publish the assets in two national newspapers,” the source said.

“Citing Section 44(2) (B) of the constitution and Section( 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, he prayed the court to grant the final forfeiture of the assets.

“Justice Dipeolu granted the order, making the forfeiture another milestone in the asset recovery drive of the EFCC.”

The Guardians