A youth advocacy group, the Youth Arise Movement (YAM), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cancel the proposed public sale of 753 duplexes seized from former Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and instead allocate the properties to members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s Convener, Comrade Ademola Babatunde Abidemi, appealed to the President to use the housing units to support soldiers who have made sacrifices in defence of the country’s sovereignty.

Abidemi emphasized that allocating the duplexes to military personnel would boost their morale, enhance their welfare, and address the long-standing accommodation challenges faced by the Armed Forces.

“It is my respectful opinion that rather than selling the duplexes, the Government should allocate them to the brave and courageous men in the Armed Forces. This will alleviate their suffering and show genuine commitment to their welfare,” he stated.

The properties in question were recently handed over to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC had confiscated the estate—comprising 753 duplexes—on allegations that it was acquired with proceeds of financial crimes during Emefiele’s tenure as CBN Governor.

At the handover ceremony held on May 20, 2025, EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede transferred the assets to Minister of Housing, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa, who announced plans to assess the buildings’ structural integrity and sell them to the public through a transparent process, including an expression-of-interest portal.

While commending the planned integrity check, YAM’s convener expressed serious reservations about the proposed sale.

“I am apprehensive about the touted transparency of the sale process and the fate of the proceeds. Past exercises involving similar asset disposals have been marred by fraud, bribery, and corruption,” Abidemi said.

He warned that failure to act decisively may result in another EFCC investigation into the sales process, citing Nigeria’s history of questionable asset recovery practices.

Abidemi argued that allocating the homes to military personnel—possibly at subsidized rates with deductions from salaries over time—would serve as a significant morale booster and a symbolic gesture of national appreciation for their service.

“This would be a historic first for any civilian President in Nigeria. It will build capacity, enhance security, and demonstrate a proactive commitment to the Armed Forces,” he noted.

The youth leader also called on the Minister for Housing and Urban Development to draw inspiration from recent efforts by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who secured Federal Executive Council approval to build houses for appellate court justices in Abuja.

“The Housing Minister should intensify efforts to provide affordable housing for citizens. The government should not venture into selling seized property that might end up in the hands of corrupt officials,” he added.

YAM concluded by urging the Tinubu administration to align this decision with the “Renewed Hope” agenda by prioritizing the welfare and dignity of those who defend the nation.