Court Orders Final Forfeiture of 52 Lekki Housing Units to Federal Government

​Lagos — The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of 52 terrace and maisonette housing units located in the Lekki area to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

​Justice Alexandra Owoeye delivered the ruling on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, granting the application brought forward by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

​Background of the Case

​The properties, situated within Mercyville Estate at Covenant Way, off New Road, Ilasan, Lagos, were recovered from Fielddreams Limited, Ifeanyi Nweke, and Amex Savings and Loans Limited.

​The EFCC, represented by counsel Franklin Ofoma, had initially secured an interim forfeiture order for the assets on August 14, 2024, following an ex parte application granted by Justice Akintayo Aluko. As part of that initial directive, the court mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper, providing an opportunity for any interested parties to contest the potential permanent loss of the properties.

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​Conflicting Affidavits and Judicial Ruling

​Following the publication, the respondents filed an affidavit in an attempt to show cause why the court should not grant the final forfeiture. However, their defense faced significant challenges in court.

​The respondents initially claimed that the 52 housing units were developed using proceeds from the sale of a separate land parcel, which itself was acquired through the sale of 29 other units valued at ₦1.9 billion. In a subsequent contradiction, they alleged that the 3rd to 19th applicants had failed to complete the construction of the units—an argument that directly clashed with their earlier evidence asserting that construction and interior furnishing had been fully completed in 2020.

​Justice Owoeye, in her ruling, observed that the court could not selectively choose which pieces of the respondents’ evidence to believe. Consequently, she rejected the entire affidavit evidence submitted by the 1st to 3rd respondents, effectively leaving the EFCC’s application unopposed.

​Fugitive Status and Financial Suspicion

​During the proceedings, EFCC counsel Franklin Ofoma informed the court that the second respondent, Ifeanyi Nweke, is a fugitive who has refused to appear for his arraignment in two separate charges before other courts. Ofoma further noted that Nweke has two outstanding warrants of arrest against him for jumping administrative bail.

​”The properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities,” Ofoma stated, urging the court to grant the final forfeiture. Finding merit in the Commission’s argument, Justice Owoeye resolved the matter in favour of the Federal Government, finalizing the forfeiture of the 52 units.

​Court orders forfeiture of Lekki housing units

​This video provides additional visual context and reporting on recent high-profile asset forfeiture cases in Nigeria handled by the courts and the EFCC.