Court Orders Permanent Forfeiture of Estate Named After Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the permanent takeover of a vast parcel of land initially approved for the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Model Housing Estate, effectively returning the stalled project to full Federal Government control.
PulseNets learnt that the court held the disputed property—valued at several billions of naira—liable for final forfeiture to the Federal Government following years of inactivity surrounding the housing scheme and mounting allegations of financial impropriety.
The ruling marks a decisive step toward reviving the long-abandoned estate, which was conceived to deliver affordable housing but remained undeveloped despite significant public funding.
Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the judgment after granting a motion brought before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Court documents obtained by PulseNets showed that the application was not contested by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the sole respondent listed in the matter.
In his ruling, Justice Umar directed the ICPC to oversee the completion of the housing estate on behalf of the Federal Government, working in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.
The judge stressed that joint supervision by both institutions was critical to ensuring that the project is completed strictly in line with its original design and objectives.
He further emphasised that the proposed 962 housing units under the scheme must ultimately be allocated to Nigerians who genuinely require affordable accommodation.
Justice Umar noted that the forfeiture order was aimed at safeguarding public interest and salvaging value from a project that had already absorbed substantial public resources.
PulseNets reported that the court ordered the final forfeiture of two large plots of land situated in Kaba District, Abuja. One of the plots spans approximately 122,000 square metres and carries an estimated value of nearly ₦2 billion, while the second covers about 157,000 square metres, valued at over ₦3.3 billion. The court held that both parcels were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
The judge also directed that the forfeited assets be formally transferred to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, which the court recognised as the victim of the alleged illegal dealings linked to the housing project.
The judgment, delivered on December 11, further instructed the ICPC and FMBN to jointly constitute a monitoring committee. The committee is expected to supervise the completion of the estate and ensure that the housing units are properly utilised upon completion.
PulseNets learnt that the court had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order over the same properties in July, following an ex parte application filed by the ICPC. At the time, the judge ordered that the land be preserved pending the final determination of the case.
Investigations by the anti-corruption agency revealed that the Federal Capital Territory Administration had allocated the land free of charge for the development of 962 housing units under the National Housing Fund Scheme, targeted at low-income earners.
According to filings reviewed by PulseNets, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria engaged Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited as the private developer for the project. The estate received approval in 2012 and was named after former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Further findings presented before the court showed that FMBN secured a loan facility of $65 million for the project and released the entire sum to the developer.
However, investigations revealed that not a single housing unit was constructed on the site despite the full disbursement of funds.
The ICPC also told the court that the developer allegedly attempted to sell the land to members of the public, raising fears that the property could be permanently lost if urgent intervention was not taken.
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The anti-graft agency argued that the forfeiture was necessary to prevent further financial losses and protect public assets, while also questioning the rationale behind releasing the entire project sum upfront without measurable progress on site.
Justice Umar agreed with the ICPC’s submissions and faulted the payment structure that allowed the full project cost to be disbursed without adequate safeguards or performance milestones.
