Court orders interim forfeiture of $4.7m, N830m assets connected to Emefiele

Nigeria’s Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro, has ordered an interim forfeiture of the sums of $4,719,054, N830,875,611, and several properties linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

The judge made the order on Thursday, following an ex-parte application filed by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel Bilkisu Buhari and C.C Chineye.

Justice Bogoro ruled: “I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and also perused the motion just moved, together with the affidavit in support.

“I find merit in the application and same is hereby granted as prayed.

“The applicant should publish this order in any daily newspaper circulating all over the federation for anybody interested to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made.

“Case adjourned to July 2, for motion for final forfeiture.”

The monies forfeited to the Federal Government in the interim were said to be warehoused in First Bank; Titan Bank and Zenith Bank, being operated by Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd; Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.