The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially handed over a 753-unit housing estate in Abuja to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. The estate was recovered from former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, after a court ordered its forfeiture in December 2024. Located in the Lokogoma District of Abuja and covering over 150,000 square metres, the estate includes duplexes and other residential units. EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, transferred the property to the housing ministry during a ceremony at its headquarters in Abuja. Olukoyede reaffirmed EFCC’s commitment to transparency, stating that recovered assets will be used for public benefit and not allowed to be looted again. He stressed that denying corrupt individuals access to stolen wealth is key to the agency’s mission.
Housing Minister Ahmed Dangiwa received the keys and praised the EFCC, calling it a major step in the fight against corruption. He said the ministry and the EFCC would inspect the estate to assess the structural integrity of the buildings.
Dangiwa also announced plans to sell the housing units to the public through a transparent process using the government’s Renewed Hope Portal. Some units will be reserved for special government needs.
This estate is the EFCC’s largest single-asset recovery since its creation in 2003. Though the suspect wasn’t initially named, court documents linked the property to Mr. Emefiele, who is facing multiple corruption charges. The court ruled that the estate was likely funded through illegal means.
The EFCC noted that the recovery followed due process under Nigerian law, and emphasized the importance of using seized assets to serve the public.