Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has rejected claims that he owns funds and assets forfeited to the Federal Government under a ruling by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The court, presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro, had on Friday ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and several properties linked to Emefiele.
Justice Bogoro granted the final forfeiture order after dismissing an application by an interested party who sought to block the ruling. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed the forfeiture request.
In a statement issued late Friday by his legal team, represented by Olawale Fapohunda, Emefiele distanced himself and his immediate family from the assets and funds in question. While acknowledging that some of the assets belong to his relatives, he urged the public to stop associating him and his family with them.
Emefiele clarified that DeepBlue Energy Limited, a company founded in 2009, is owned by a relative, not by him, as suggested by recent media reports.
He also pointed out that Justice Aneke of the same Federal High Court had previously discharged an interim forfeiture order related to these same assets, which are now the subject of the final order by Justice Bogoro.
The statement reads in part, “We have noted recent news reports indicating that Justice Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has issued a final forfeiture order on certain properties allegedly linked to one Anita Joy Omoile and her companies, including DeepBlue Energy Limited. We would like to clarify that DeepBlue Energy Limited, established in 2009, is owned by a relative of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, not Mr. Emefiele himself.”
“For the record, we, as the legal representatives of Godwin Emefiele, categorically disassociate him from the ownership of these assets. The assets in question do not belong to our client or any member of his immediate family.”
The statement concluded by urging the public and stakeholders to disregard any further claims linking the assets to Emefiele.
