By Abdul Lauya
ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, handed over 753 recovered housing units to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The estate, located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, spans 150,500 square metres and contains duplexes and other residential apartments.
The properties were seized following a final forfeiture order granted by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court on December 2, 2024.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said the handover is part of efforts to ensure transparency in asset recovery and disposal.
He stressed that recovered assets must benefit Nigerians, not be recycled into new corruption pipelines.
Olukoyede declared that the EFCC’s mission is to ensure that stolen wealth never comforts its original thieves.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to fighting corruption, noting that visible outcomes like this housing estate are evidence of that resolve.
Housing Minister Ahmed Dangiwa hailed the EFCC’s action as a vital milestone in repurposing looted assets for public benefit.
Dangiwa said the Ministry will partner with the EFCC to inspect the structural integrity of the estate before allocation.
As the concrete walls of recovered luxury homes get repainted for public use, the ghost of Nigeria’s cashless debacle still lingers.
The former Central Bank governor, godfather of the Great Naira Redesign, remains on trial in eternal suspense — his real crime possibly being bad timing.
Observers note that while homes are swiftly seized and shared, some courtroom chairs are becoming permanent seats.
In the twisted theatre of justice, recovered estates find closure faster than high-profile defendants.
