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Identity of owner of 753 Abuja duplexes forfeited to FG exposed
Human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, on Monday, took to his X platform to announce that the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Gidwin Emefiele owned the property.
In a post on X formerly Twitter, the former presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, said that the EFFC was now afraid of big thieves and has become their public relations officer.
In an update, the human rights activist said, “I just heard from the grapevine that the 753 duplexes forfeited by an FCT court in Apo belong to Muhammadu Buhari’s CBN gov, Godwin Emefiele.”
Emefiele is standing trial on several charges bordering on corruption, including in the new naira redesign before the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
Justice Maryann Anenih had adjourned the matter until December 4, 2024, and January 21, 2025, for continuation of trial.
Sowore had earlier blasted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for refusing to name the former Nigerian “top brass” who owned the large estate in Abuja with 753 duplexes.
It was earlier reported that Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, on Monday, ordered the final forfeiture of an estate in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 Units of duplexes and other apartments.
The EFCC said in a release that this was the single largest asset recovery by the Commission since its inception in 2003.
The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
According to Sowore, the same EFCC which deliberately refused to name the seized 753 duplexes Abuja estate boldly and without commencement of court trial, published names and photos of yahoo boys with proud display of laptops and small Nokia phones.
Sowore, who said this in a post on his verified social media account, wrote, “What is the name of the “former top brass” with 753 duplexes seized by the EFCC in Abuja?
“The @officialEFCC is now doing PR for thieves. They seized this large estate with 753 duplexes from a single individual in Abuja but can’t mention his or her name.
“If it is Yahoo boys, they will line laptops and Nokia phones in front of them and send their photos globally even before their trial is commenced. The same EFCC is now AFRAID of BIG Thieves!”
In another post, Sowore wrote, “They have told you every day since the days of the Structural Adjustment Program of IBB and Co. that the government has no business building houses for citizens, but a “TOP Brass” stole from citizens and built 753 duplexes for himself.”
“The forfeiture of the property to the federal government by a former top brass of the government was pursuant to EFCC’s mandate and policy directive of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities.
“In this instance, the Commission relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act No 14, 2006 and Section 44 (2) B of the Constitution of the 199 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to push its case,” the EFCC had said.
Ruling on the Commission’s application for the final forfeiture of the property, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the respondent have not shown cause as to why he should not lose the property, “which has been reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities, the property is hereby finally forfeited to the federal government.”
Sahara reporters
HouBy Gloria Ikibah
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, has revealed that only 15.06 percent of the capital allocation for the health sector in 2024 has been released, significantly delaying the execution of critical projects.
Speaking during defence of the Ministry’s 2025 budget before the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Health, Prof. Pate attributed the delays to the bottom-up cash plan policy of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Out of the N233.656 billion allocated for capital projects in 2024, only N26.552 billion was released and utilized. The Minister also disclosed that the Ministry had not received any funds from the N57.393 billion earmarked for multilateral and bilateral loans.
Giving and overview of the 2024 budget performance, Prof. Pate detailed that the total 2024 budget for the Ministry stood at N242.14 billion, comprising:
- N7.48 billion for personnel,
- N998.74 million for overhead, and
- N233.66 billion for capital projects.
For 2025, the budget estimates have been slightly increased to:
- N10.36 billion for personnel,
- N1.59 billion for overhead, and
- N248.32 billion for capital projects.
On the Health Sector Vision and Strategic Goals, the Minister emphasised that the health sector operates within the framework of the Vision 20:2020, the National Development Plan (2021–2025), and the National Strategic Health Development Plan. These policies aim to guarantee the right to health for all Nigerians, guided by the National Health Act and the 2016 National Health Policy.
He stressed that the 2025 budget aligns with the government’s focus on universal health coverage, prioritizing:
- Strengthening the primary healthcare system,
- Enhancing equitable and efficient health service delivery, and
- Promoting socio-economic development through improved health outcomes.
Prof. Pate also highlighted that the budget preparation for 2025 adhered to the GIFMIS platform, ensuring resource allocation aligns with national priorities and ministerial deliverables.
Responding to lawmakers, the Minister called for national unity in advancing the health sector. He noted significant progress despite challenges, including:
- The provision of world-class facilities in federal hospitals,
- Investment in infrastructure and manpower development,
- Local drug production boosted by the President’s Executive Order signed in June 2024, which has empowered manufacturers to upgrade their operations.
He further lauded Nigerian medical personnel for their global demand, underscoring their competence and dedication.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and urged Nigerians to recognize the positive developments in the sector.
HhouseBy Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has reiterated that performance must justify any requests for additional funding by agencies in the 2025 budget.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda, made this clear during the budget defence session of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), presented by its Executive Secretary, Professor Idris Bugaje.
Laguda acknowledged the funding challenges faced by polytechnics but emphasised the importance of demonstrating effective utilization of allocated resources before seeking more.
“Performance is very key. It is a known fact that polytechnics are poorly funded, but we need to justify why more resources are needed. To be honest, not all institutions have demonstrated this. The role of this committee is to ensure accountability and drive improvements”, he said.
He highlighted the importance of the NBTE’s role in technical education and urged the agency to foster better synergies among polytechnics and stakeholders. He also charged rectors to be proactive in introducing modern and relevant courses tailored to their environments.
Professor Idris Bugaje, while presenting the NBTE’s 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal, called for increased budgetary allocation to address manpower shortages. He noted that the agency, responsible for supervising over 700 institutions, currently operates with only 330 staff, which he described as grossly inadequate.
“For personnel, we need improvement. Similar agencies with fewer institutions and more funds have more staff. We need more hands to adequately supervise these institutions,” Bugaje stated.
On internally generated revenue (IGR), Bugaje explained that earnings primarily come from service charges during accreditation visits. He revealed that the agency’s IGR for the year amounted to just N25 million, describing it as “dismally low.”
He further noted that the agency’s capital performance for 2024 stood at 50%, with the remaining half of the budget yet to be released.
“We need to introduce more contemporary programs and improve funding mechanisms to better meet the demands of technical education,” Bugaje added.
The session underscored the lawmakers’ commitment to ensuring transparency and efficiency in funding allocations while challenging agencies to enhance their performance to secure additional resources.
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