JUST IN: EFCC Hands Over Emefiele’s Forfeited 753 Housing Units to Federal Government
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially handed over a 753-unit housing estate, forfeited by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The formal handover took place on Tuesday at the Ministry’s headquarters in the Mabushi district of Abuja, where EFCC Chairman, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, presented the asset to Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa.
Describing the development as a “significant milestone” in the government’s anti-corruption efforts, Dangiwa praised the EFCC’s commitment to asset recovery and public accountability.
“This marks a significant step in our collective resolve to ensure that recovered assets serve the Nigerian people,” the minister said. “The housing estate recovered from the former CBN Governor is a case in point.”
He disclosed that the Ministry will conduct comprehensive structural and integrity assessments to verify the safety and habitability of the buildings. This will be followed by a technical evaluation to estimate the cost of completing key infrastructure such as internal roads, perimeter fencing, drainage systems, power supply, recreational facilities, and a police outpost.
Dangiwa further revealed that the housing units will be made available both for public sale and to meet special government needs. The public sale process, he assured, will be transparent and competitive, with details to be published nationwide and applications processed through the Renewed Hope Housing Portal.
Asset Recovery in Action
In his remarks, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede said the handover exemplifies the practical results of the commission’s fight against corruption and aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This estate is a product of a civil forfeiture following a thorough investigation that began last year,” Olukoyede explained. “There was clear evidence that no one could legitimately lay claim to this property.”
He emphasized the importance of transparency in the management of forfeited assets, noting that President Tinubu had directed that the estate be handed over to the Housing Ministry for completion and productive use.
“It is critical that proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC are not only accounted for but visibly applied for the public good. We must not allow looted assets to be looted again,” he stated.
Olukoyede detailed that the estate comprises hundreds of residential units on a parcel of land measuring 150,462.86 square meters, located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
What’s Next?
With this transfer, the Ministry is expected to commence assessments and project planning ahead of the estate’s eventual completion and allocation. The move signals a stronger alignment between anti-graft efforts and national development objectives, as the federal government seeks to recover, repurpose, and reinvest looted assets for the benefit of Nigerian citizens.
