The Federal High Court in Lagos has scheduled September 12 for the hearing of all applications related to the suit seeking the permanent forfeiture of assets linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu set the date after hearing submissions from counsel representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Emefiele, and the occupants of one of the properties in question.
EFCC counsel Bilikisu Buhari-Bala informed the court that the commission had complied with the interim forfeiture order issued on August 15 by publishing the order in a newspaper on August 28. She also noted that two applications had been filed by Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), but were not yet ripe for hearing.
Ojo sought an adjournment to September 9 to hear his client’s applications, which aim to stay further proceedings in the forfeiture suit. “The law allows such an application to take precedence over the substantive application,” he argued.
Chibuzor Opara, representing the occupants of 8a Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, requested an adjournment to file his clients’ processes.
Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter to September 12 for the hearing of all applications.
The suit seeks the permanent forfeiture of assets including $2,045 million USD, as well as several properties in Lagos and Delta State, and two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust belonging to Emefiele.
The court had previously ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper, allowing interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
