The Federal Government has announced its decision to sell the 753 housing units recovered from former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, as proceeds of crime. Salisu Haiba, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, released a statement on Tuesday in Abuja confirming the development.
Haiba revealed that the Ministry has received the estate—comprising 753 duplexes, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered from Emefiele. He stated that the Ministry plans to sell the houses to the public and also allocate some for special government purposes.
According to Haiba, EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede officially handed over the estate to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.
Dangiwa praised the EFCC for its consistent efforts in combating corruption and recovering public assets. He announced that the Ministry and EFCC would jointly tour the estate to assess its condition.
“We will conduct thorough structural and integrity assessments on all buildings and infrastructure to ensure they are safe and suitable for habitation,” Dangiwa said.
He added that the Ministry would carry out a comprehensive technical evaluation to determine the cost of completing outstanding infrastructure. These include perimeter fencing, internal roads, drainage systems, a police post, shopping areas, recreational centers, and other essential amenities.
Dangiwa emphasized that the Ministry would sell the units through a transparent and competitive process. He said the public sale would involve a nationwide advertisement and use of the Renewed Hope Portal, where interested Nigerians can submit their expressions of interest.
In the same statement, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede said the handover of the forfeited property reflects the impact of the ongoing fight against financial crimes and corruption stressing the importance of accountability and transparency in managing forfeited assets.
Olukoyede disclosed that President Bola Tinubu ordered the handover of the estate to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for completion. He noted that the estate, located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone CO9, Lokogoma District, Abuja, spans 150,462.86 square meters.
He assured the public that the EFCC would monitor the M7inistry’s progress on the project and submit periodic updates to the President and thanked President Tinubu for fostering an environment conducive to fighting corruption and also commended the judiciary for supporting the effort to recover proceeds of crime.
