Give Forfeited 753 Abuja Duplexes to Homeless Medical Doctors, Others, Olajengbesi Urges Federal Government
Pelumi Olajengbesi, a human rights lawyer based in Abuja, has called on the Federal Government to allocate the 753 forfeited duplexes in Abuja to deserving medical professionals and civil servants as part of a mass housing initiative.
Olajengbesi also commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for securing the forfeiture of the 753 duplexes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), describing the achievement as a significant victory in the fight against corruption.
In a statement issued on Monday night, Olajengbesi, who is the principal of Law Corridor, a law firm in Abuja, celebrated the EFCC’s success under the leadership of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and the prosecuting team led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN). He hailed the forfeiture as a milestone in asset recovery and praised the EFCC’s intelligence gathering and diligent prosecution efforts.
“This is a major boost for the fight against corruption and a critical step in asset recovery, which is central to Nigeria’s anti-graft efforts. The intelligence and thorough prosecution by the EFCC team is highly commendable. This forfeiture sends a clear message to corrupt politicians and their associates who siphon public funds for personal gain,” Olajengbesi said.
The lawyer further urged the EFCC not to auction the forfeited properties but to complete them and distribute them to medical doctors and civil servants as a form of support for their service to the nation. He stressed that this would serve as an incentive for those working diligently for the public good.
The EFCC had earlier described the recovery of the estate, located in the Lokogoma District of Abuja, as its “single largest asset recovery” since its formation in 2003. The estate, spanning 150,500 square meters and containing 753 duplexes and other apartments, was forfeited following a ruling by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court on December 2, 2024.
The court case, marked FCT/HC/M/14519/2024, involved the EFCC’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, which was suspected to have been acquired through illicit activities, as per the provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act and the Nigerian Constitution.
The EFCC’s investigation revealed that the forfeited property had been linked to the alleged fraudulent activities of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and his associates. The commission discovered that the ex-CBN governor had been involved in securing kickbacks in exchange for allocating foreign exchange to businesses, as well as accepting bribes from contractors awarded government contracts.
