LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, has ordered the final forfeiture of Diezani Alison-Madueke’s properties in Abuja to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The properties include; two Abuja properties and two luxury cars.
The two properties are located at Plot 1854 Mohammed Mahashir Street, and No. 6, Aso Drive, in the highbrow Asokoro and Maitama Districts of Abuja are valued at $2,674,418USD and N380,000,000 respectively.
The luxury cars are a black BMW saloon with Chassis No B8CV54V66629 and registered number, RBC155 DH and a black Jaguar saloon car with Chassis No SAJAA.20 GRDMv43376, valued at N36,000,000
The judge gave the order forfeiting the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria while ruling on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Suit No. 1122/2021 and Suit No 1123/2021, asking for the final forfeiture of the assets.
The Commission had on 29 November, 2021 secured the interim forfeiture on the assets in a ruling on separate motion ex-parte filed on 27 September, 2021 which prayed the court to order the interim forfeiture of the assets on the grounds of reasonable suspicion that they were proceeds of unlawful activities.
In granting the interim forfeiture Order, Justice Olajuwon had ordered the EFCC to publish a notice in a national newspaper, inviting anyone with interest in the assets to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The court consequently adjourned till 22 January, 2022, for report.
In compliance with the Order of Court, the Forfeiture Order was published in Thisday Newspaper of Wednesday, 6 April, 2022.
In the absence of any contestation of the Interim Order, the Court, on Monday, forfeited the properties to the Federal Government.
According to Vanguard, the court also issued an arrest warrant against the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, believed to be residing in the UK.
Justice Bolaji Olajuwon granted the request, after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Farouk Abdullah, made an oral application.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had fixed 3 November, 2021 for the EFCC to give a report on its effort at extraditing Alison-Madueke to the country to stand her trial, and for possible mention of the case.
But on the adjourned date, the case was stalled as neither Abdullah nor Alison-Madueke was in sight.
Justice Olajuwon then fixed today, 24 October, for the matter and adjourned for report or for possible mention of the matter.