Court orders Interim Forfeiture of Property linked to couple in Lagos

Justice D.E. Osiagor  of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday , July 10, 2025, ordered the interim forfeiture of a property in ljaiye Ojokoro, Lagos State linked to a couple, Emmanuel Chukwudi Chinyere and Ebere Vivien Chinyere, over alleged obtaining by false pretence.

The property is located at No. 5/7 Kasali Aremu Street, Abiok Bus Stop, Jankara ljaiye Ojokoro, Lagos State. 

The Judge gave the order, following a motion ex parte filed and argued by the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulhamid .L.Tukur. 

Moving the application for the interim forfeiture of the property, Tukur submitted that  the Commission received a petition from one Sunday Nathanel Edi, Managing Director of a registered cosmetic business, alleging that he transferred the total sum of N189,500,000(One Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Five- Hundred Thousand Naira) to several bank accounts belonging to a couple,  Emmanuel Chukwudi Chinyere and  Ebere Vivien Chinyere, in 2023, to purchase five hectares of land within Owerri,  Imo State, for him to develop as an estate.

A discreet enquiry conducted by the petitioner, however, revealed that they did not purchase the land, contrary to the agreement.

Efforts to get a refund, upon confirmation that they had diverted the money to their personal use, were unsuccessful.

Tukur, while moving the application, told the court that  the property sought to be forfeited “is linked to criminality perpetrated against the petitioner and that it is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.”

He, therefore, prayed the court to grant the application seeking an interim forfeiture of the property,  which is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, to the petitioner through the EFCC.

In his ruling, Justice Osiagor granted the application, and also directed the Commission to publish the interim order in a national newspaper for any interested party to show cause why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The Judge further adjourned the hearing of the motion for the final forfeiture.