Nigeria’s Supreme Court has affirmed the final forfeiture of seven luxury properties linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, bringing an end to a protracted legal battle over the high-value assets.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the apex court set aside an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal, which had ordered a fresh hearing of the forfeiture proceedings. The ruling effectively restores the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos that granted the Federal Government final ownership of the properties.
The Supreme Court held that the appeal lacked merit, reaffirming the legality of the forfeiture process and closing Emefiele’s challenge against the seizure of the assets.
The verdict marks a significant victory for anti-corruption authorities and concludes one of the most closely watched asset recovery cases involving the former CBN governor, whose tenure has remained under intense legal and public scrutiny since leaving office.
