The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of multi-billion naira parcels of land approved for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate to the Federal Government.
Justice Mohammed Umar made the order after granting 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 counsel to the respondent, Hassan Liman, SAN.
The court further directed the ICPC, on behalf of the Federal Government, to supervise the completion of the housing project comprising 962 residential units, as originally proposed. The supervision is to be carried out in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the sole respondent in the matter, to ensure that the housing units are eventually utilised by end users.
In the ruling delivered on December 11 and sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, Justice Umar ordered the final forfeiture of two plots of land located in Kaba District, Abuja.
The first is Plot No. 5 in Cadastral Zone D12, measuring approximately 122,015.80 square metres and valued at ₦1.94 billion. The second is Plot No. 4 in the same zone, measuring about 157,198.30 square metres and valued at ₦3.34 billion. Both plots were declared suspected proceeds of unlawful activity.
Justice Umar also ordered the ICPC to facilitate the handover of the forfeited properties to the FMBN, described as the victim of the alleged unlawful activity. In addition, the court directed the ICPC and FMBN to jointly set up a committee, with members drawn from both agencies, to ensure the completion of the abandoned housing project.
NAN reports that the court had earlier, on July 9, granted an interim forfeiture of the lands following an ex parte application by the ICPC, pending the determination of the substantive suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2025.
According to the ICPC, the lands were freely allocated by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for the construction of 962 residential housing units under the National Housing Fund Scheme. The commission said it received intelligence that FMBN engaged a private developer, Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited, for the project.
In an affidavit deposed to by an ICPC officer, Iliya Marcus, the commission stated that FMBN obtained approval on July 30, 2012, to commence the construction of the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate. A framework agreement was subsequently entered into with Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited on January 27, 2012, followed by the appointment of a consultant on February 1, 2012, to monitor the project and certify milestones for payment.
Investigations revealed that FMBN secured a loan facility of 65 million dollars from Ecobank Limited for the construction of the housing units for low-income earners. However, the bank allegedly paid the developer a sum of ₦3.785 billion as drawdown on November 22, 2012, without evidence that the company was registered with the Real Estate Developers Association, a precondition for such payment.
The ICPC further alleged that the entire project sum of 65 million dollars was paid to the developer without a single housing unit being constructed on the site. Intelligence reports also indicated that the developer was making moves to sell off the land to unsuspecting members of the public.
The commission warned that unless urgent steps were taken, the land could be irretrievably lost, just like the funds allegedly dissipated without any tangible outcome.
In granting the forfeiture, Justice Umar questioned why the full project sum was paid upfront without commensurate progress on the site. He held that the forfeiture proceedings were separate from the ongoing criminal trial of Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited before Justice James Omotosho, and were aimed at securing the assets for the benefit of Nigerians and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.