The Federal Government says it will sell 753 housing units confiscated from former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to Nigerians. The properties, located within a large estate recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will be assessed for structural integrity before being completed and made available for purchase.
This was disclosed in a joint statement from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the EFCC, following a physical inspection of the estate led by Housing Minister Ahmed Dangiwa and EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede.
The estate, covering more than 150,000 square metres and consisting of duplexes and other types of apartments, was seized by the EFCC in December 2024 and handed over to the Ministry in line with a directive from President Bola Tinubu.
Dangiwa said the Ministry would immediately begin technical assessments of the property, including conducting integrity tests on all buildings. He added that once these evaluations are completed, the houses would be finished and sold to Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Portal, which is already active.
“The government of the day is serious about fighting corruption,” Dangiwa stated during the inspection. He urged public office holders to avoid corrupt practices and praised the EFCC’s leadership for what he described as a major recovery effort.
He also encouraged Nigerians to continue supporting the EFCC, saying public trust was essential for achieving further asset recoveries that would benefit the wider population.
Speaking at the inspection, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede explained that the purpose of the visit was to provide a ground-level view of the estate to the public. “The essence of this visit is to show that it is real,” he said, stressing that transparency and accountability remain core principles of the agency’s operations.
According to the EFCC, the estate represents the largest single asset recovery since the agency was established in 2003.
The estate was officially forfeited to the government following a final court order issued on December 2, 2024, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
However, in April 2025, Emefiele filed a motion at an FCT High Court to reclaim the property, arguing that the EFCC had concealed the forfeiture proceedings from him, despite ongoing interactions with the agency over other legal matters.
