A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that lands worth billions of naira meant for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate should be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government. The court granted the motion by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), which sought to reclaim the lands due to alleged corruption in the housing project. The lands, located in Abuja, are valued at approximately N5.2 billion and were meant for the construction of 962 residential housing units for low-income earners.
Justice Mohammed Umar directed the ICPC to supervise the completion of the housing project in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). The court also ordered the setup of a committee comprising ICPC and FMBN to oversee the project’s completion.
The ICPC had launched an investigation into the project after receiving intel that the FMBN engaged a private developer to construct the housing units. The investigation revealed that the FMBN paid N3.7 billion to the developer without proper registration and conditions being met.
The court had previously granted an interim forfeiture order in July, and the latest ruling makes the forfeiture permanent. The ICPC is set to publish a notice for interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.