Allocate Emefiele’s Forfeited 753 Abuja Homes To IDPs, Low-Income Earners, Reps Tell FG

ABUJA – The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to allocate the 753 housing units in Abuja, forfeited from former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to low-income earners, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other vulnerable citizens.

The lawmakers said the forfeited estate in Lokogoma, Abuja, offers the government a rare opportunity to make good on its promise of affordable housing and social justice under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Jafaru Leko (Bauchi), who urged the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to ensure the properties do not end up in the hands of the politically connected or wealthy elites.

“This asset should be used to bridge Nigeria’s housing gap and give hope to ordinary Nigerians who have been priced out of home ownership for decades,” Leko said during plenary.

Adopting the motion, the House directed the Housing Ministry to, within 60 days, publish a transparent and inclusive allocation framework outlining who qualifies, how beneficiaries will be selected, and how the process will be monitored.

Lawmakers also called for the creation of a national database of forfeited assets to ensure proper tracking, transparency, and civil society oversight of future recoveries.

The 753 duplexes and apartments were seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a Federal High Court granted a final forfeiture order linking the estate’s funding to Emefiele.

The EFCC subsequently handed over the estate to the Housing Ministry in May 2025.

Investigations by the anti-graft agency had revealed that funds traced to Emefiele and some proxies were used to acquire and develop the housing estate through front companies, in violation of public service regulations.

The court, after examining the EFCC’s evidence, ordered that the property be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The government has since announced plans to complete outstanding infrastructure and sell the units through the Renewed Hope Housing Portal, with payment options such as mortgage, installment, and rent-to-own.

However, concerns have mounted that the houses, located in a prime area of the capital city, may still be beyond the reach of low-income Nigerians despite the government’s assurance of affordability.

The House insisted that only citizens in genuine need of shelter should benefit from the allocation, warning that the exercise must not become another opportunity for abuse of public trust.