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The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, has once again denied any involvement in the ownership of properties recently ordered to be forfeited to the federal government by the Federal High Court in Lagos.

While acknowledging that some of the assets belong to his relatives, Emefiele firmly stated that neither he nor his immediate family owns the properties in question.

This clarification regarding the properties, which were ordered to be forfeited on Friday, February 21, was issued in a press statement from his legal team, led by Barrister Olawale Fapohunda, in Abuja.

Emefiele also clarified that DeepBlue Energy Limited, a company founded in 2009, is owned by a relative, not by him, as has been suggested in the media.

He further pointed out that Justice Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi had previously lifted an interim forfeiture order on these same assets, before Justice Yellim Bogoro’s final ruling.

Emefiele called on those linking him and his family to the assets to stop doing so for the sake of fairness.

The statement read in part:

“Our attention has been drawn to recent news reports indicating that Justice Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted a final forfeiture order on certain properties allegedly linked to one Anita Joy Omoile and her companies, including DeepBlue Energy Limited.

“It is important to clarify that DeepBlue Energy Limited, established in 2009, is owned by a relative of our client, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, but not by Mr. Emefiele himself.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, we, as the legal representatives of Godwin Emefiele, categorically disassociate our client from the ownership of the assets in question.

“For emphasis, the assets in question do not belong to our client or any member of his immediate family.

“Furthermore, information reaching us suggests that Justice Aneke of the same Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, had previously discharged an interim forfeiture order on the same assets now forfeited by Honourable Justice Bogoro.

“We urge all stakeholders and members of the public to take note of this clarification and stop associating these assets with Mr. Godwin Emefiele.”

The Federal High Court in Lagos had previously ordered the permanent forfeiture of $4.7 million, ₦830 million, and multiple properties allegedly linked to Emefiele.

Justice Yellim Bogoro, in his judgment delivered on Friday, February 21, 2025, also ordered the final forfeiture of investments worth $900,000 traced to one of Emefiele’s relatives, Anita Joy Omoile.

Additionally, the court granted the final forfeiture of $4.4 million worth of investment linked to DeepBlue Energy Services Ltd, along with ₦283 million in Zenith Bank traced to Liman Investment Ltd, €20,000, and £1,999.50, linked to Exactquote Bureau De Change (BDC), all companies associated with Omoile.

The forfeitures were granted following a request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with Justice Bogoro ruling that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activities.

However, in his statement, Emefiele maintained that the assets belong to others, including his relatives, and not to him, as suggested by the media.

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