ABUJA, Nigeria — The Federal Ministry of Housing don announce say Nigerians go soon get chance to own one duplex housing estate of 753 units for Abuja. Dis estate, wey dey linked to former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, na im the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recover and hand over to the ministry on May 20, 2025.
Salisu Haiba, Director of Press and Public Relations at the ministry, confirm di handover, stressing say dis recovery dey show government commitment to use seized assets for di benefit of di people. Di Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, praise di EFCC for di work dem don do to recover assets and curb corruption.
Dangiwa talk say, “Dis recovery mark significant milestone for our collective effort to make sure say di assets wey dem recover go benefit di Nigerian people directly.” He add say dem go do joint inspection with EFCC to assess di condition of di estate.
Di ministry plan to carry out integrity and structural assessments on all di buildings and finish di necessary infrastructure like roads and drainage. “We dey work on a transparent and competitive process for di sale of di housing units. We go use di Renewed Hope Portal to manage expression of interest,” he explain.
EFCC chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, emphasize say di handover show government serious commitment to fighting corruption. “We need to show Nigerians say any money wey we recover go benefit dem and we no go allow dem loot di assets again,” he talk.
Di estate, located for Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, dey cover over 150,000 square meters and contain hundreds of apartments. Olukoyede say dem go monitor di ministry efforts to finish di estate and go dey report back to President Bola Tinubu.
Prior to di handover, di Federal Capital Territory High Court don issue final forfeiture order for di estate after say Emefiele and him associates allegedly use illegal funds to acquire di property. Emefiele don try to reclaim di estate but di court dismiss im application for failure to act within di legal timeframe.
Housing experts don welcome di government plans but don urge for transparency in di sale process. Toye Eniola, Executive Secretary of di Association of Housing Corporation of Nigeria, emphasize say di sale must benefit di right people. “We must ensure say di properties no go end up being sold to government officials and their cronies,” him talk.
Adewunmi Okupe, CEO of Ace Hi-Tech Construction Co. Ltd., suggest say di ministry should remodel di houses to create more units before sale. “If we remodel dem into more units, e go help reduce di housing deficit,” him advise.
Dis estate, originally linked to Emefiele, dey seen as a chance to turn a symbol of corruption into a resource for public benefit. Di ministry’s commitment to ensure effective monitoring and accountability go further enhance di public confidence in di process.
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