The Federal Government has finalized plans to sell a vast estate linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to low- and middle-income Nigerians.

The estate, comprising 753 housing units, was recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024.

According to the EFCC, the property, which spans more than 150,000 square metres and includes various types of apartments and duplexes, marks the agency’s largest single asset recovery since its establishment in 2003.

Following a final forfeiture order granted by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court on December 2, 2024, the estate was handed over to the government.

Although Emefiele challenged the forfeiture in April 2025, alleging he wasn’t notified of the proceedings, the court dismissed his request.

On May 20, 2025, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede officially handed over the estate to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.

According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Badamasi Haiba, the estate, still under construction, will undergo structural evaluations before being offered to the public.

“Next would be to profile the houses and decide how they will be sold to Nigerians. However, the intention of the minister has always been homeownership for all categories of Nigerians, including low and middle-income earners, so we should expect to see such intentions play out here, all-inclusive,” Haiba said.

He explained that the ministry’s online portal will be used to ensure transparent and inclusive sales.

“Homes sold by the ministry will always have flexible payment options, including mortgage, instalment, rent-to-own payment, etc., whether in this case or any other,” he added.

Haiba emphasized transparency in the allocation process.

“With the renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng portal, the ministry has cut off human interference to ensure that the sales process is transparent and all-inclusive.”

“Any Nigerian can sit in their home, log onto the portal, browse through the different types of units and locations, select the house they want, select a payment option, submit their application, and get an offer letter right there and then.”

However, a visit to the estate showed the property has deteriorated, overgrown with bushes and reportedly infested by snakes, the estate appears neglected.

Security guards nearby said construction stopped in July 2023, about a month after Emefiele’s arrest by the DSS.

“When construction was ongoing here, there were nothing like snakes. But since they stopped work, snakes have been coming from that bushy estate. We’ve killed many,” one guard recounted.

Real estate and urban development experts have expressed skepticism about the plan to sell the estate to low-income earners.

Moses Ogunleye, former President of the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria, questioned the affordability.

“If those properties have four bedrooms, I don’t think they can be for low-income earners… If they want to give them to low-income earners as they are, the buyers are going to be spending a lot of money.”

Similarly, Stephen Eke, President of Fajiri Construction Ltd, called the plan impractical.

“These estates are usually designed for luxury and exclusivity, making them structurally and financially incompatible with the affordability thresholds required for social or middle-income housing.”

He recommended that the government sell the estate at market value and use the proceeds to build affordable homes.

“With the funds, government or development agencies can construct multiple units of affordable housing… using cost-efficient materials and designs suited to their needs.”

Kunle Awobodu, former President of the Nigerian Institute of Building, added, “The government should offer it at a subsidised rate. It should be gradual, like a mortgage.”

Jeremiah Akinsele, CEO of Magnificent Choice Services, also doubted the feasibility.

“Attempting to sell such high-value properties at discounted rates… is unrealistic and prone to abuse… considering the minimum wage in Nigeria is around N70,000, it is practically impossible for them to afford a plot of land or upkeep a luxurious estate in places like Abuja.”

Adewunmi Okupe, CEO of Ace Hi-Tech Construction, proposed remodelling.

“Each large unit on the estate could be subdivided into four or more smaller apartments… This strategy offers a practical pathway to expanding affordable housing.”

Godfrey Godfrey of the Nigerian Institute of Building shared his concerns:

“We are talking about a duplex in Africa. So, honestly, it is not within the reach of a low-income earner in Nigeria.”

He warned against political hijack of the sales: “Those in government may end up finding a way to acquire them for themselves. The intended low- or even middle-income earners may never get hold of them.”

Azeez Ayodabo, General Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, pointed out the pricing issue.

“Looking at the cost of those buildings, they may not be less than N100m to N200m per unit at the moment.”

He also proposed a redesign: “You have duplexes, but what does a low-income earner want to do living there and maintaining it? One duplex can be remodelled into about four flats.”

Aliyu Wamakko, past President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, advocated a fair and open process.

“There should be equal opportunity for all Nigerians… A portal should be opened… so that at least everybody has equal opportunity to get to the website and apply.”

Festus Adebayo, Executive Director of the Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), urged the government to retain the estate as a social housing project.

“The seized property… should not be sold to the highest bidders, but rather restructured and retained under public ownership for the benefit of Nigeria’s most disadvantaged population.”

He proposed a digital raffle draw system to allocate homes affordably.

“The draw would be conducted publicly… Winners would be notified automatically via SMS… The proceeds from the raffle sales could generate as much as N10bn… sufficient to fund the remodelling and completion of the estate.”

HDAN emphasized that converting the estate into rental units managed by the Federal Housing Authority could offer a lasting solution to Nigeria’s housing crisis.

Grief has engulfed the home of Mr. Odunayo Alade in Ibadan, Oyo State, following the tragic killing of his 13-year-old son, Kehinde.

The once lively household is now overtaken by silence and sorrow, as relatives, neighbors, and sympathizers stream in to mourn the loss of the bright secondary school student.

Kehinde, a pupil of Jislord High School, Ibadan, was fatally shot on Tuesday while being driven by his father to drop off his older brother, Emmanuel, for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

The family was also accompanied by Kehinde’s twin brother, Taiwo, and two other children.

The tragedy occurred on Old Ife Road in the Alakia area when a police officer, reportedly accompanying officials from the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), opened fire on the vehicle.

Narrating the incident, Odunayo said, “As I was driving out, I encountered OYRTMA. In fact, I had got to the point where I was about to turn to the main lane when I saw one of them. They blocked me and used their vehicle to hit my car. I couldn’t wait because I was in a hurry to take their elder brother for his WAEC exam at 8.30am. I didn’t see the police with guns.”

“I only saw one of them (OYRTMA), so I put my vehicle in reverse to bypass him, then another towing van came and hit my vehicle. As I was leaving, I suddenly heard a gunshot. Kehinde shouted, ‘Daddy!’”

Odunayo, who separated from his wife years ago, said the car contained five children, including his three sons and two others belonging to a couple who were also in the vehicle.

In response to public outcry, the Oyo State Government issued a statement through Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, stating that the boy’s father drove against traffic and was in a tinted black Honda Accord when the shot was fired accidentally by the police.

But Odunayo refuted the claim. “It was only the rear glass that was tinted. The officers saw everyone in the car,” he insisted.

A visit to the scene revealed that the junction where the incident occurred is a known shortcut used by drivers to avoid a longer official U-turn route.

A vulcaniser at the junction, Saheed, confirmed the trend: “Most people coming from this side usually pass through here when the road is free because they feel going around the long turning is stressful.”

“They’ve Shot Me” — Kehinde’s Last Words

Kehinde’s twin, Taiwo, was visibly devastated. “I loved my brother so much. I miss him. How I wish he were still here with me,” he told our reporter, breaking into tears.

The twins, family members said, were inseparable.

Mrs. Peter Funmilayo, a family neighbor who was also in the car, recalled the chilling moment.

“One of them opened the door by my side, saw the children, and closed it again. He (Odunayo) tried to move again, just not to delay the boy sitting the exam, because he knew that was what would happen.

“We didn’t know there were policemen carrying guns there. Suddenly, we heard a gunshot. Paul (Kehinde) screamed, ‘They’ve shot me!’ We were all in shock. My husband immediately rushed him to Welfare Hospital.”

Kehinde’s maternal aunt, Olabisi Animashaun, said she found out through a Facebook post before getting confirmation from the boy’s mother.

“I saw the news on Facebook, but I didn’t realise it was that close to home until his mother called me in tears, telling me her son was dead.”

Abe, a nephew of the deceased, described Kehinde as talented and promising. A church member, Fajobi Olumide, also shared fond memories.

“He played the drum set during last Sunday’s church service. Just last Saturday, he came with his father to our house for an event. I gave him a sachet of water because he was too shy to ask. I didn’t know that would be the last time I would see him.”

“Brought In Barely Alive” — Doctor Confirms

Dr. Segun Olaniyi of Welfare Hospital confirmed that Kehinde arrived at the hospital around 7:45

“The boy was brought in on Tuesday around 7:45am with a history of gunshot injury sustained while he was in his father’s car. Upon arrival, his pulse was barely detectable; he was barely alive.”

He described the severity of the injury: “The bullet had entered from the back and exited through the front of his abdomen,” indicating massive internal damage. Despite immediate medical efforts, Kehinde was transferred to the University College Hospital (UCH), where he was declared dead.

Chief Onaolapo Adegbayi, the Baale of Adegbayi and a retired military officer, condemned the action of the police.

“The police are meant to provide security, not take a life. While the father may have some fault, the appropriate response would have been to arrest him without resorting to shooting.”

Debo Adeniran, National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, said the incident reflects deep flaws in law enforcement.

“Those who are supposed to help citizens obey the law are the same ones luring them into violations and exploiting them. It’s a shame.”

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Clement Onwuenwunor, emphasized that traffic violations are not punishable by death.

“The police officer committed manslaughter and should be arraigned and tried accordingly.”

In a related statement, the Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Tiamiyu Ademola, demanded accountability.

“We give the police 24 hours to reveal the identity of the trigger-happy officer.”

As the Alade family mourns an irreplaceable loss, they are not only demanding justice, but also calling attention to the unchecked brutality and carelessness of security agents whose duty is to protect.

“All I want is justice,” Odunayo said, still visibly shattered.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has begun providing free medical treatment to a Sokoto-based businessman who was mistakenly shot by its operatives during a 2016 raid in Jos, Plateau State.

Acting on orders from DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi, the victim was admitted to the DSS hospital in Abuja, where he is currently receiving extensive medical care from top specialists.

A security insider confirmed the businessman’s recent arrival at the facility, noting that he is being treated in the VIP ward with access to advanced medical care and complimentary meals.

“True to the DG’s instructions, he’s getting round-the-clock care. The priority is to help him regain full control of his limbs,” the source said.

Earlier in March, the DSS had disbursed ₦10 million in damages following a 2018 Federal High Court ruling, and also awarded an additional ₦10 million ex gratia to compensate for lost time, bringing the total to ₦20 million.

The shooting occurred during a pre-dawn operation in 2016, when DSS operatives mistakenly shot the businessman, who shares the same name as the actual suspect, an alleged gunrunner who was later arrested.

The victim sought justice through his lawyer, Idris Akibu.

In 2018, Justice Muhammed Shittu Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Bauchi ruled in favour of the businessman and ordered the DSS to pay ₦10 million in damages (Suit No FHC/J/CS/18/2018).

According to insiders, the Director-General’s directive to enroll the victim in the DSS healthcare system is part of ongoing efforts to deliver justice and restore public confidence.

“This is the third DG since this unfortunate case of mistaken identity happened. We were very happy when our new DG directed us to pay the money. He even added another ₦10 million to the victim’s money”

“It goes to show that, not only can security agencies be law-abiding, we can also be full of the milk of human kindness,” the source declared.

A tragic event occurred in Atta Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State when abductors shot dead a man in his 30s as he tried to escape their clutches.

The victim was followed by the kidnappers to a petrol station at Umuololo Village on Wednesday, where they attempted to force him into their vehicle.

In a desperate effort to flee, the man broke free and ran for his life.

However, the kidnappers pursued him, firing multiple shots that ultimately caused his death.

Eyewitnesses reported that officers from the Ikeduru police division arrived at the scene two days later and took the body to a mortuary.

Imo Police spokesman Henry Okoye confirmed the incident on Friday, stating, “The Command is aware of this unfortunate incident that happened on 21/05/2025 and has launched a detailed investigation to apprehend the miscreants responsible for his untimely death.”

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed that two people aboard a Diamond training aircraft operated by the Aviation Training School, Ilorin, were injured following a crash-landing incident.

The NSIB announced that it has launched an investigation into the crash, which occurred during a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.

In a statement released Friday night, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at NSIB, reported that the incident took place at 17:28 local time on May 23, 2025.

She explained that the aircraft veered off the runway and came to rest on the grass verge.

According to the statement: “Two occupants were on board. Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).”

Mrs. Oladeji further noted that the NSIB Go-Team is preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin to carry out an on-site investigation.

She added, “The team will secure the site, collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and retrieve operational data to establish the cause and contributing factors of the incident.”

Commenting on the crash, NSIB Director General Capt. Alex Badeh Jr. said: “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response.”

“Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”

The Bureau appealed to the public and media to refrain from speculation and to await verified updates.

NSIB reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a thorough, independent, and professional investigation aimed at enhancing aviation safety in Nigeria.

Further information will be provided as the investigation progresses.