Fieldreams Limited, its promoter Ifeanyi Nweke, and Amex Savings and Loans Limited have approached the Lagos division of the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn a Federal High Court ruling that ordered the final forfeiture of 52 terrace and maisonette units at Mercyville Estate in Lekki, Lagos State.

The appellants are also asking the appellate court to stay execution of the July 14, 2026 judgment pending determination of their appeal. In a motion filed through counsel Victor Ukutt, they are seeking an order halting enforcement of the forfeiture, or alternatively preserving the property and maintaining the status quo until the appeal is decided.

The respondents include Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chairman Kennedy Okonkwo and 17 other individuals listed as beneficiaries under the disputed order. The appellants argue that enforcing the judgment before their appeal is heard would render the appeal meaningless and undermine their constitutional right to challenge the decision, contending that the trial court’s order improperly transferred the housing units to private individuals rather than vesting them in the federal government as required under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.

In their notice of appeal, the appellants challenged the July 14 judgment delivered by Justice Alexander Owoeye on several grounds, including alleged lack of jurisdiction, misinterpretation of forfeiture provisions and denial of fair hearing. They maintain there was no evidence establishing that the properties were proceeds of unlawful activity, arguing instead that funds used to acquire and develop the estate came from legitimate business transactions, including property sales and other lawful commercial activity.

They also accused the trial judge of failing to properly consider their evidence, including a 2007 deed of assignment for the land, and argued that the dispute was fundamentally contractual and civil in nature, governed by arbitration clauses, a point they say the trial court failed to address. They further contended that related suits involving the same parties were already pending before another judge, raising concerns about abuse of court process.

The appellants are asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the forfeiture judgment and restrain the respondents from taking possession of the properties pending the outcome of the appeal. They also raised concern over what they described as the commission’s hurried enforcement of the ruling, alleging that officials moved into the estate and directed residents to vacate by Monday despite having been served with the notice of appeal and motion for stay on July 15, even though a hearing on the matter had already been scheduled for July 24.