Uchechukwu Nnaike 

A civil society group, Youth Arise Movement, has appealed to the federal government to shelve its plans to sell 753 duplexes recently seized from the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. Instead, it called for the immediate allocation of the property to personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces to address their long-standing accommodation challenges.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on May 20, formally handed over the estate- comprising 753 duplex units linked to Emefiele – to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa. The EFCC alleged that the estate, located in Abuja, was developed using proceeds of crime, prompting its seizure in accordance with the agency’s statutory mandate.

At a brief ceremony held at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, transferred the property to the ministry for further action.

Commending the EFCC for its asset recovery drive, Dangiwa announced that the ministry would conduct a joint inspection of the estate and carry out thorough structural and integrity assessments to determine the safety and habitability of the buildings.

He also disclosed that the duplexes would be made available to the public for purchase through a transparent process involving nationwide advertisements and the Renewed Hope housing portal.

However, the convener of Youth Arise Movement, Ademola Abidemi, expressed reservations over the proposed sale. In a statement, he argued that allocating the houses to members of the armed forces – many of whom endure harsh living conditions – would be a more impactful and patriotic use of the seized assets.

“Our military men and women have long suffered inadequate housing, despite putting their lives on the line daily for the security and unity of this country. Allocating these 753 duplexes to them would significantly improve their welfare, boost morale, and serve as a historic gesture from a civilian government,” he said.

Abidemi questioned the transparency and potential outcomes of the proposed sale, citing past instances where public assets were sold under suspicious and corrupt circumstances. He warned that unless properly managed, the sale of the Emefiele-linked estate could become another scandal necessitating fresh EFCC investigations in the future.

“It is only a matter of time before these transactions become mired in corruption allegations. The government can prevent this looming embarrassment by channeling the property directly to the armed forces, perhaps at a subsidized rate deducted from their salaries over time,” he advised.

The group emphasized that such a move would not only align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, but also mark a significant milestone in demonstrating genuine commitment to the welfare of Nigeria’s military personnel.

Abidemi also encouraged the Minister of Housing and Urban Development to take a cue from recent efforts by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who secured Federal Executive Council approval to construct housing for appellate court justices. He urged the housing ministry to intensify its core mandate of delivering affordable housing to the Nigerian populace.

“The government has no business selling these properties to the highest bidders. This is a golden opportunity to use recovered assets to correct structural inequities within our security sector and build capacity where it is most needed,” the statement added.