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Alex Enumah in Abuja

A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke yesterday forfeited two of her Abuja houses as well as two luxury cars to the federal government.

The forfeiture was sequel to an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in respect of an application in that regard by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC).

The commission had last year in two separate suits with No. 1122/2021 and Suit No 1123/2021, prayed Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for an order of final forfeiture of the said properties over their alleged linkage to proceeds of corruption.

A statement by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren identified the seized houses as Plot 1854 Mohammed Mahashir Street, and No. 6, Aso Drive, in the highbrow Asokoro and Maitama Districts of Abuja.

The two houses were evaluated at $2,674,418USD and N380, 000,000 respectively, while the luxury cars; 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

EFCC had on November 29, 2021 secured the interim forfeiture on the assets in a ruling on separate motion ex-parte filed on September 27, 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 January 22, 2022 for report.

In compliance with the Order of Court, the Forfeiture Order was published in THISDAY Newspaper of Wednesday April 6, 2022.

In the absence of any contestation of the Interim Order, the Court, on Monday October 24, ordered final forfeiture of the properties to the federal government.