The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied allegations that it disobeyed a court order directing its operatives to vacate a property located at House 6, Aso Drive, Asokoro, Abuja.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commission described recent media reports suggesting non-compliance with the directive of Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, as a “miscarriage of facts,” and reiterated its commitment to the rule of law.
According to the EFCC, it lawfully took possession of the property following an order granted by Justice Liman on March 27, 2025, which affirmed that the house was a proceed of unlawful activity linked to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. The Commission said the property was forfeited to the federal government through a final forfeiture order.
The EFCC also refuted claims that it misled the court in obtaining the ex-parte order or that it violated the legal rights of the property’s tenant, Chief Ikechi Emenike. The Commission clarified that the contempt proceedings involving Emenike in another court had no connection to the possession order granted by Justice Liman.
While acknowledging that Emenike was a tenant during the period the property was under interim forfeiture, the EFCC dismissed the claim that he had paid rent to the Commission for over a decade.
It also rejected assertions that Emenike was granted the Right of First Refusal to buy the property. Citing Justice Liman’s judgment of April 18, 2024, the EFCC noted that the court merely stated that Emenike could exercise the right “whenever the Defendant announces or otherwise indicates that the property is to be disposed of,” and that such disposal must be based on a valuation from a reputable quantity surveyor. The Commission maintained that it has not initiated any process to sell the property, rendering Emenike’s claim irrelevant.
Furthermore, the EFCC stated there is no subsisting contempt order against its Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, or the Commission’s counsel in the case, Mr. Francis Usani. It added that no court order had been served on either of them, and that a Stay of Execution of the said court order was filed on June 16, 2025.
The EFCC concluded by affirming that both the Commission and its leadership are law-abiding and remain committed to upholding judicial processes.
