Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order following an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1058/2024. The anti-graft agency argued that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activity and urged the court to forfeit them to the Federal Government.

The forfeited assets include Galaxy Clinic and Speciality Hospital located in Maiduguri, 14.8 hectares of land, residential and commercial plots spread across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Borno, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States, as well as various bank accounts tied to corporate entities under the “Galaxy” group.

The EFCC told the court that an interim forfeiture order had been granted earlier in August 2024 and was widely publicised, to allow any interested party to contest the move. However, no individual or group came forward to challenge the forfeiture.

EFCC counsel, Fadila Yusuf, urged the court to issue the final forfeiture, citing compliance with all procedural directives. Justice Nwite, in his ruling, held that the commission’s application was “meritorious” and granted the final forfeiture request.

Properties Forfeited (Partial List):
Galaxy Hospital, Maiduguri

Duplex, residential apartments, and plots across Abuja, Nasarawa, and Borno

• Five petrol stations in Borno and Kaduna
• A four-bedroom duplex in Guzape, Abuja
• Over 10 hectares of farmland and industrial-use plots
• Bank accounts totaling over ₦335 million held in the names of Galaxy-linked companies

The ruling is part of ongoing efforts by the EFCC to recover assets traced to fraudulent schemes and ensure accountability.

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Delivering judgment in a civil suit on July 2, 2025, Justice J.K. Omotosho ruled in favour of two citizens who challenged the EFCC’s practice of painting “EFCC UNDER INVESTIGATION, KEEP OFF” on their buildings, despite no criminal charges having been filed.

“This act is not only unconstitutional but also degrading and unjustified,” the judge ruled. “The EFCC’s actions infringed on the plaintiffs’ rights under Sections 34 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution, which protect dignity and property ownership.”

The court awarded ₦200,000 in general damages and ordered the immediate removal of the inscriptions from the properties. Officials of the court were also authorised to enforce compliance within 24 hours.

Justice Omotosho stated that “investigative powers must be exercised within constitutional boundaries” and insisted that “no agency has the authority to unilaterally declare property under investigation without judicial oversight.”

The plaintiffs, represented by counsel H.A. Kwrabai, had argued that the EFCC’s actions caused serious reputational harm. “This judgment reinforces the principle that the rule of law must always guide institutional conduct,” the lawyer said after the ruling.

The EFCC argued that the markings were a preventive measure to secure the properties during investigations. However, the court dismissed this defense due to lack of judicial backing.

Additionally, the court issued an injunction preventing the EFCC from further defacing or interfering with the plaintiffs’ properties unless a valid court order is obtained.

The judgment is seen as a landmark victory for property rights and due process in Nigeria.

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Presiding over the matter on Tuesday, Justice Yusuf Halilu issued the order following the absence of the defendants in court despite being properly served with the charges. The judge, addressing the prosecuting counsel, Rimamsomte Ezekiel, insisted that the prosecution must ensure the defendants are brought to court at the next sitting.

“You are the prosecutor. You should do all within your powers to ensure that the defendants attend court on the next adjourned date for arraignment,” Justice Halilu said.

The court adjourned the matter to September 25, 2025, to allow time for the prosecution to secure the presence of the accused individuals.

The five retired officers named in the 14-count charge include:

AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd)

CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd)

CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd)

DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd)

ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd)

The charges, marked CR/353/2025, accuse the defendants of conspiring to falsify official records, alter their ages, and remain in service beyond their statutory retirement dates, contrary to provisions of Nigeria’s Public Service Rules and sections of the Penal Code.

During the proceedings, Ezekiel informed the court that the defendants were served with the charges the previous week but failed to appear for their scheduled arraignment. He noted the challenge of requesting a bench warrant since they had yet to be formally arraigned.

Among the accusations is that the defendants conspired, as far back as 1999, to manipulate age records to extend their service years illegally. They are alleged to have benefitted from continued access to official privileges by presenting forged documents and making false declarations to the Nigeria Police Force.

Specific counts detail instances of document tampering and false age declarations. For example, AIG Owohunwa is accused of submitting a backdated declaration of age stating he was born in July 1970, when investigations suggest otherwise. Similarly, ACP Simon Lough SAN is alleged to have submitted false information under oath in an ongoing legal case, falsely claiming he had only served 25 years in the police.

In one charge, CP Benneth Igweh is said to have altered official records to indicate a later birth year, thereby extending his tenure illegally.

The charges, which cite violations of Sections 97, 158, 161, 178, 324, and 366 of the Penal Code Law, carry potential penalties ranging from fines and imprisonment to disqualification from holding future public office.

The prosecution is expected to present further evidence once the arraignment proceeds. The case highlights growing concerns over ethical standards and accountability within Nigeria’s public institutions, especially among high-ranking officials in law enforcement.

The legal community and public observers will closely monitor the proceedings when the court reconvenes in September.

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Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako held that the Senate exceeded its legal authority by imposing a lengthy suspension without clear statutory backing. The court ruled that while legislative bodies may discipline their members, such sanctions must not infringe on the right of constituents to be represented in the National Assembly.

Justice Nyako observed that the suspension, which nearly matched the minimum number of sitting days in a legislative year, effectively denied the people of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituency their voice in the Senate—a move deemed excessive and undemocratic.

The court found that the relevant legislative rules cited by the Senate did not specify a limit for suspension duration, rendering the six-month term overreaching and without lawful justification.

However, the court also ruled that Senate President Godswill Akpabio did not violate the senator’s rights when he barred her from speaking on the Senate floor for not occupying her assigned seat. That specific action, the judge noted, did not amount to a breach of procedure or fundamental rights.

In a separate ruling, the court imposed a monetary sanction on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for violating an earlier judicial order that restrained both parties from commenting publicly on the matter while the case was ongoing.

The judgment marks a significant reinforcement of judicial oversight over legislative conduct, affirming the role of the courts in protecting constitutional rights and ensuring elected officials remain accountable to the electorate.

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Justice Halilu Mu’azu, delivering the judgment on Monday in Maitama, declared that the demolition exercise carried out on September 5, 2024, was a breach of the constitutional rights of the affected citizens. He described the government’s actions as both “unauthorised and inhumane.”

The court also issued a permanent order restraining the FCTA from initiating any future demolition in the community without prior approval from a competent court or as mandated by law.

In addition to financial compensation, the judge directed the FCTA to provide relocation support to 20 individuals whose homes were directly affected, citing the emotional and economic trauma caused by the sudden evictions.

Legal representative for the community, Sylvester Ogbelu, praised the court’s decision as a reaffirmation of justice for vulnerable Nigerians. “This ruling restores confidence in the legal system. It’s a message that even the marginalised have rights that must be respected,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of proper procedures in urban development, stating, “We support progress, but not at the expense of people’s homes and dignity. Development must follow due process.”

The community’s secretary, Simon Baba-Yerimah, who was among those displaced, expressed relief and gratitude. “Our families have lived on that land for generations. Watching our homes reduced to rubble without fair warning was devastating. Today, justice has spoken,” he said.

He called on the authorities to honour the court’s directives promptly, urging the FCTA to provide alternative accommodation within their ancestral lands, as stipulated by the court.

“This ruling is not just a win for Kpaduma,” he added, “it’s a reminder that government actions must be accountable to the people they serve.”

Residents say they are also considering further legal action to claim additional damages caused by the unlawful demolition.

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The verdict, delivered by Justice Deinde Dipeolu on Friday, followed a lack of opposition from Emefiele or any other interested parties regarding the assets after an initial interim forfeiture was ordered.

Justice Dipeolu’s ruling also covered two share certificates of Queensdorf Global Fund Limited Trust. In his judgment, the court underscored that Emefiele failed to establish a clear connection between his lawful earnings from positions held at Zenith Bank and the CBN to the acquisition of these properties.

The former governor also could not provide documentation proving ownership of the assets.

In prior hearings, Emefiele had disclaimed any association with the companies listed as owners of the properties. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), however, identified the companies as Amrash Ventures Limited, Modern Hotels Limited, Finebury Properties Limited, Fidelity Express Services Limited, H & Y Business Global Limited, and SDEM Erectors Nigeria Limited, none of which appeared in court to claim the properties.

Justice Dipeolu remarked, “The refusal by Emefiele and these companies to openly justify ownership raises suspicion around the origin of these assets,” concluding that there was no evidence they were acquired through legitimate income sources. Consequently, the judge ordered the permanent forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The seized properties include two identical duplexes at No. 17b Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped land plot at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi; a bungalow at No. 65a Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; a four-bedroom duplex at 12a Probyn Road, Ikoyi; an industrial complex under construction on 22 plots in Agbor, Delta State; eight apartment units at No. 8a Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a full duplex on Bank Road, Ikoyi.

Previously, on August 15, 2024, the court had granted an interim forfeiture to the EFCC, enabling the commission to temporarily seize the assets based on suspicions that they were linked to unlawful activities. Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), sought to pause the forfeiture process but was unsuccessful in persuading the court

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