Some companies and individuals have approached the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal to challenge a Federal High Court judgment ordering the final forfeiture of 52 terrace and maisonette units located at Mercyville Estate in the Lekki Peninsula area of Lagos State.
The appellants, including Fieldreams Limited, Ifeanyi Nweke, and Amex Savings and Loans Limited, are also seeking an order suspending the enforcement of the July 14, 2026 judgment until the appeal is heard and determined.
Through their counsel, Victor Ukutt, the appellants asked the appellate court to grant a stay of execution of the forfeiture order. In the alternative, they requested that the court preserve the disputed properties and maintain the current status pending the outcome of the appeal.
The respondents in the case include the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dr. Kennedy Okonkwo, and 17 other individuals who were listed as beneficiaries of the forfeiture order.
According to the appellants, enforcing the judgment before the appeal is concluded would undermine their constitutional right to challenge the decision and render the appeal ineffective.
They further argued that the Federal High Court’s decision improperly transferred ownership of the 52 residential units to private individuals, maintaining that the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act only permits forfeited assets to vest in the Federal Government.
The appellants also contended that the trial court failed to address their objection that the matter was contractual and civil in nature, with arbitration clauses already governing disputes between the parties. They added that related cases involving the same parties and issues were already pending before another judge of the Federal High Court, but these concerns were allegedly overlooked.
They urged the Court of Appeal to overturn the forfeiture judgment and issue a perpetual injunction preventing the respondents from taking possession of or dealing with the properties until the legal dispute is fully resolved.
The appellants also criticised the EFCC’s enforcement actions, alleging that officials moved into the estate despite being served with a notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution on July 15, 2026. They claimed the agency ordered residents to vacate the estate before the scheduled record settlement date of July 24, describing the action as an abuse of authority.
