The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a large expanse of multi-billion-naira land allocated for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the order after approving a motion on notice filed by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, counsel to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The application was not opposed by the defence counsel, Hassan Liman, SAN.
The court further directed the ICPC, acting on behalf of the Federal Government, to oversee the completion of the housing project, which comprises 962 residential units, in line with the original proposal.
Justice Umar ruled that the supervision of the project should be carried out jointly with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the sole respondent in the suit, and that the completed houses must be allocated to genuine end users.
In his ruling, the judge 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. He also ordered the forfeiture of Plot No. 4 in the same district, covering approximately 157,198.30 square metres and valued at ₦3.34 billion, describing both properties as suspected proceeds of unlawful activity.
Justice Umar further directed the ICPC to facilitate the transfer of the forfeited properties to the FMBN, identified as the victim of the alleged unlawful transactions.
The ruling, delivered on December 11 and sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, also mandated the ICPC and FMBN to constitute a joint committee to ensure the completion of the housing project.
The court recalled that on July 9, it had granted an interim forfeiture of the lands following an ex parte application filed by the ICPC. The interim order was issued pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The ICPC’s ex parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2025, listed the FMBN as the sole respondent and described the lands as suspected proceeds of unlawful activity.
The commission had also sought permission to secure the properties to prevent their sale or conversion for private use, as well as an order allowing it to publish notices in national newspapers inviting interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
In support of the application, the ICPC outlined 14 grounds, stating that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) freely allocated the lands for the construction of 962 housing units under the National Housing Fund Scheme through the FMBN.
An affidavit sworn by an ICPC officer, Iliya Marcus, disclosed that the commission received intelligence indicating that the FMBN had engaged a private developer to construct the housing units but that the project failed to materialise.
Marcus stated that investigations revealed the FMBN received approval on July 30, 2012, to commence the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate and subsequently entered into a framework agreement with Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited on January 27, 2012.
He added that the bank appointed a consultant on February 1, 2012, to monitor the project and report progress milestones to enable payments to the developer.
According to the affidavit, the FMBN obtained a $65 million loan facility from Ecobank Limited to finance the construction of the housing units for low-income earners, with a project duration of 18 months.
Marcus further revealed that the FMBN paid ₦3.785 billion to Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited as a drawdown on November 22, 2012, despite the developer allegedly failing to meet registration requirements with the Real Estate Developers Association.
He alleged that the bank eventually paid the full $65 million to the developer without any house being constructed on the site.
The ICPC officer warned that intelligence suggested the developer was attempting to sell the land to unsuspecting members of the public, a move that could make recovery difficult if not prevented.
He argued that unless the forfeiture application was granted, the land could be lost in the same manner as the loan funds, which were allegedly dissipated without tangible results.
Addressing the court earlier, Akponimisingha said the project was initiated during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and was intended to honour him.
He disclosed that the developer allegedly received $65 million, equivalent to over ₦14 billion at the time, yet failed to construct a single housing unit.
The ICPC lawyer added that the land is now estimated to be worth over ₦200 billion and alleged that the promoters of the company, including some foreign nationals, had absconded and could not be reached.
He clarified that although Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited is facing a separate criminal trial before another court, the forfeiture application was aimed solely at securing the land for the benefit of Nigerians and the FMBN.
In his ruling, Justice Umar granted the interim forfeiture and queried why the entire project sum was released upfront without corresponding progress on the site.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 27 for a report on compliance.
