The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has taken over the forfeited 753-housing units Estate of former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, from by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The executive chairman of EFCC, Olanipekun Olukoyede, handed over the housing estate to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Mabushi district of Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
Minister Dangiwa commended the leadership of EFCC under Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede for the sustained efforts in the fight against corruption and the recovery of public assets.
“This marks a significant milestone in our collective determination to ensure that recovered assets are put to productive use in ways that directly benefit the Nigerian people. The housing estate recovered from the former Governor of the Central Bank is a case in point.
“We intend to carry out thorough integrity and structural assessments on all buildings and associated infrastructure to confirm their safety and suitability for habitation,” the minister stated.
The minister further explained that, a comprehensive technical evaluation will be undertaken to determine the cost of completing all outstanding infrastructure and ancillary facilities, including perimeter fencing, internal roads, drainage systems, a police post, shopping areas, recreational centers, and other essential amenities.
“The Ministry will offer the units for sale both to the public and for special government needs. For the public sale component, we will adopt a transparent and competitive process. This will include nationwide advertisement and the use of the Renewed Hope Portal where interested Nigerians can submit their Expressions of Interest,” he remarked
Earlier, in his presentation, the chairman of EFCC Olukoyede stated that the handing over of the forfeited properties was a demonstration of the impact of the fight against financial crimes and corruption in Nigeria as pronounced in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
He recalled an investigation into the property, which started last year, leading to a civil forfeiture of the asset due to the belief that no one could have owned it legitimately.
He also emphasised on the need for accountability and transparency in managing forfeited assets, informing of the directive from President Bola Tinubu to hand over the asset to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for completion.
“It is important for us to demonstrate to Nigerians that whatever proceed of crime that we had recovered in the course of our work, the application of that will be made transparent to Nigerians so that we will not allow looted assets to be looted again,” he said.
The EFCC chairman stated that the estate contained hundreds of apartments on a parcel of land measuring 150,462.86 square meters and located at plot 109, cadastral zone, C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
