Court documents have revealed the suspected owner of the 753-duplex Abuja estate forfeited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
DAILY GIST recalls that Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Monday gave a ruling on final forfeiture of the estate measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments to the EFCC.
The EFCC had described the forfeiture as its single largest asset recovery since the commission’s inception in 2003 but did not reveal identity of the owner.
However, court documents obtained on Wednesday linked Emefiele to the forfeited properties.
The court documents contained an affidavit deposed to the court by EFCC investigator, Idi Musa, as part of evidence relied on by the court in giving the order.
According to him, the properties were acquired and developed with proceeds of unlawful activities by Ifeanyi Okeke, a former deputy general manager and Head of Litigation at the Zenith Bank, who ran errands for the former CBN governor.
In his testimony on oath at the FCT High Court, Musa alleged that Emefiele often negotiated kickbacks in return for allocation of Foreign Exchange to some companies needing foreign exchange for lawful and legitimate businesses, as well as companies who were given contracts by the CBN.
Proceeds from the illegal activities were allegedly used to acquire real estate investments across Nigeria, especially Lagos and Abuja, using different companies.
Musa said, “upon investigation, it was revealed that one Ifeanyi Omeke, a Deputy General Manager and Head, Litigation of Zenith Bank, Plc worked closely with Godwin Emefiele and ran several errands for him which included purchase and perfection of title documents for several properties located in highbrow areas of Lagos and Abuja.
“…upon a search conducted in the office premises of Mr. Ifeanyi Collins Omeke by the operatives of the Commission, several property title documents were recovered which investigation revealed were purchased with sums traced and reasonably believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities to wit; kickback from allocation of Foreign exchange and award of contract.
“…upon conclusion of investigation the Commission applied to the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to forfeit the properties located and situate in Lagos recovered from Mr. ifeanyi Collins Omeke, properties investigation revealed were purchased with sums traced and reasonably believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
“…during the cause of the search at the office premises of Mr. Ifeanyi Collins Omeke by the operatives of the Commission highlighted in paragraph 4 (e) above, the Commission also recovered title documents of a landed property measuring 150,462.86 metre square lying and situate in Abuja as highlighted in schedule A to this application. The title and other relevant documents in relation to this property recovered from Ifeanyi Omeke are attached and marked Exhibit EFCC01.
“…sequel to the facts in paragraph 5 above, the Commission wrote a letter of investigation activity to the Abuja Geographical Information Systems (AGIS) requesting for a search on the said property.
“…on the 17th day of September, 2024 the said property was located with the assistance of a surveyor from AGIS using search result and coordinate.
“…upon locating the said property and names of persons to have ever associated with the property, letters of investigation were sent to relevant banks requesting for the opening packages of the said companies used in funding and developing the said property.
“…investigation further revealed that the said property has been abandoned and deserted with only a guard manning the said property since June, 2023 upon the arrest of the erstwhile CBN Governor.
Musa revealed various companies involved in the illegal acquisitions between 2010 and 2021, all linked to the former CBN Governor.
According to him, “the said land known as Plot 109, lying and situate at Cadastral Zone C09 was initially allocated to Windermere Nigeria Limited on the 15th day of September, 2010 for mass housing development…the title of the said property was later transferred to M.G Property Limited via an executed Deed of Assignment.
“… sometime in August 2021, the said M.G Properties transferred its title to H & Y Business Global Limited.
“…the said H & Y Business Global Limited is also being investigated for acquiring one of the properties forfeited in the interim by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, for the sum of N2.2b from Nigeria minting and printing Ltd for and on behalf of the then Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr Godwin Emiefele.
“…monies H & Y Business Global Limited used for the acquisition of the property were not from their legitimate income but rather were fraudulently procured by Godwin Emefiele and his cronies to disguise and conceal the unlawful origin of the funds used in the acquisition of the properties.
“…further investigations revealed that three different companies were used in paying and acquiring the property now sought to be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“… ‘Ifeadigo Integrated Services’ is one of the three companies used in the acquisition of the property sought to be forfeited.
“… in the course of the fraudulent acquisition of the property sought to be forfeited, Ifeadigo Integrated Services was procured to transfer the sum of N900m reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities to the account of M.G Properties Limited. The account statement evidencing the said payment is hereby attached and marked EXHIBIT EFCC 02.
“… the second company that was procured and used in the acquisition of the property sought to be forfeited is ‘Kelvito Integrated Service.
“…the said Kelvito Integrated Service, transferred the sum of N700m reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities to M.G Properties Limited. The account statement evidencing the said payment is hereby attached and mark EXHIBIT EFCC 03.
That the third company used in the fraudulent acquisition of the property sought to be forfeited is one ‘Ice Frozen Food & Ventures’.
“…the said Ice Frozen Food & Ventures was procured to retain and transfer the sum of N600m reasonably suspected to be proceed of unlawful activities to M.G Properties Limited for the acquisition of the said property, now sought to be forfeited in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“…MG Properties received the aggregate sum of N2,2m from Ifeadigo Integrated Services, Kelvito Integrated Service and Ice Frozen Food & Ventures vide its account. The account statement of MG Properties evidencing the said payment is hereby attached and mark EXHIBIT EFCC 04.
“…the said three companies used for the payment of the property are enmeshed in criminal maneuvering of layering proceeds of illegal activities of Mr. Godwin Emiefele.
“…the directors of Ifeadigo integrated Services and Kelvito Integrated Service were arrested and their statement voluntarily obtained in the course of investigation.”
Musa further alleged that Emefiele, through his former personal assistant, Mr. Eric Ocheme, recruited one Richard Agulu, a vault Administrator of Zenith Bank, to launder billions of naira for him, by asking his friends to open bank accounts with the bank which will be used to receive the illegal funds.
He told the court that one Mr. Christopher Emefiele, in his voluntary statement, confessed to having been contracted by Mr. Ocheme to act as consultant for the development of the properties to be forfeited, while he (Ocheme) handled the development of the properties.
“I know as a fact and verily believe that the source/origin of the funds used in the acquisition and/or development of the properties sought to be forfeited, are proceeds of unlawful activities to wit: corrupt enrichment, receiving of gratification or kickbacks and abuse of office,” Musa stated.
