The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed eight fresh charges against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, accusing him of embezzling billions of naira and illegally acquiring 753 housing units at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District in Abuja.
Filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the new charges also allege that Emefiele held large sums of money in proxy accounts during his tenure as CBN Governor.
The EFCC claimed that in August 2021, Emefiele collaborated with Eric Ocheme—who is currently at large—to acquire the controversial property estate.
According to court documents, Emefiele was found with ₦167 million in a proxy account with Zenith Bank in Abuja between January and December 2019. The funds are suspected to be illegally obtained.
The agency further stated that in 2020, both Emefiele and Ocheme maintained ₦1.23 billion in the bank account of Kelvito Integrated Services, also suspected to be proceeds of crime.
In one of the charges, the EFCC revealed that ₦1.98 billion was under the control of Emefiele and his associate in 2022, lodged in another account under Kelvito Integrated Services (Zenith Bank, Account No: 1016232915), with the money believed to be illicit.
Additionally, the Commission disclosed that Emefiele kept ₦900 million in Ifedigo Integrated Services’ Zenith Bank account (No: 1210750237), and another ₦600 million in the same account—both sums described as suspicious and likely unlawfully acquired.
The EFCC had earlier obtained a court order to confiscate the 753-unit estate, transferring control to the federal government. However, Emefiele has since filed an appeal, urging the Court of Appeal in Abuja to overturn the ruling and return control of the estate to him.