7The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of vast parcels of land linked to the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the final forfeiture following a motion moved by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, counsel to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
The application was not opposed by Hassan Liman, SAN, representing the sole respondent, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN.
The court directed the ICPC to supervise the completion of the project on behalf of the Federal Government, in collaboration with the FMBN, and ensure that the proposed 962 housing units are eventually allocated to end users.
In the ruling delivered on December 11, Justice Umar ordered the final forfeiture of Plot No. 5 in Cadastral Zone D12, Kaba District, Abuja, measuring about 122,015.80 square metres and valued at ₦1.94 billion.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of Plot No. 4 in the same district, measuring approximately 157,198.30 square metres and valued at ₦3.34 billion, both suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
The judge further ordered the ICPC to facilitate the handover of the forfeited properties to the FMBN, describing the bank as the victim of the alleged unlawful conduct. He also directed both agencies to set up a joint committee to oversee and implement the completion of the housing estate.
Justice Umar recalled that the court had earlier, on July 9, granted an interim forfeiture of the lands following an ex-parte application by the ICPC.
That order allowed the anti-corruption agency to temporarily take over and secure the properties pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The ex-parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2025, listed the FMBN as the sole respondent and sought to prevent the land from being converted to personal use or sold to members of the public.
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The ICPC also obtained an order to publish notices inviting interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
In an affidavit sworn to by an ICPC officer, Iliya Marcus, the commission traced the origin of the project to approvals granted on July 30, 2012, for the construction of the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate.
A framework agreement was later executed between the FMBN and Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited, with a consultant appointed to monitor the project and certify milestones for payment.
The affidavit stated that the FMBN secured a $65 million loan facility from Ecobank for the construction of 962 housing units under the National Housing Fund Scheme, targeted at low-income earners, with a project timeline of 18 months.
Investigations showed that the bank paid about ₦3.78 billion as an initial drawdown in November 2012 and eventually disbursed the full $65 million to the developer.
Despite the payments, no house was constructed on the site. The ICPC further alleged that the developer was not duly registered with the Real Estate Developers Association at the time of payment and had made moves to sell off the land to unsuspecting members of the public.
In granting the interim and final forfeiture orders, Justice Umar questioned why the entire project sum was paid upfront without visible progress on the ground.
He stressed that the forfeiture was necessary to protect public assets and ensure that the land is used for the purpose for which it was originally allocated.
The matter was adjourned to October 27 for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.
NAN
