Diezani Forced to Forfeit N4.8bn Abuja Houses to FG...See Details

Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke might soon lose most of her luxury properties in Nigeria as the EFCC has forced her to forfeit N4.8 billion worth of houses in Abuja.

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has been forced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to forfeit houses worth N4.8 billion.

 

This is as the agency has commenced probe of five choice houses believed to be Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s in Rivers State. It is all part of the last leg of the investigation of the ex-minister in collaboration with the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom.

 

According to The Nation, another asset of the ex-Minister in Abuja, allegedly worth over N500million has been recently confiscated pending her trial. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier seized a mansion worth N3.58billion from the ex-minister, bringing the haul in Abuja to about N4.08billion of assets believed to be hers.

 

Concerning the property in Rivers State, it is reported that the property is worth over N3billion

 

A top source in EFCC told the The Nation in confidence, and said: “Based on latest intelligence, we have been able to trace more choice assets to Mrs. Alison-Madueke in Port Harcourt. We have drafted more operatives in Rivers State.

“We have identified more than  five of such assets but we need to verify the ownership by going through some documents before attaching the properties in line with our mandate.

“In the next one week, our team in Port Harcourt would have completed their assignment. We will then release the value of the assets.

“We are also on the trail of some accomplices who were used for the property deals.”

 

Responding to a question, the source said: “We are still working in collaboration with NCA in the UK. I think we are getting closer to the final leg of the Mrs. Alison-Madueke probe.”

 

Concerning the property worth N500million which was seized from the ex-minister, the source revealed that the property is believed to be at Frederick Chiluba Close in Asokoro  District in Abuja. The asset is now placed under interim forfeiture until the court decides otherwise,” he added.

 

Sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 empower the anti-graft agency to invoke the Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.

 

Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads: ‘Where a person is arrested for an offence under this Act, the Commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the Court.’

 

Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: “The sourt may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order in all cases in which it appears to the Court to be just or convenient so to do.

”Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks just.”

 

The NCA in the UK arrested and quizzed Mrs. Alison-Madueke and four others on October 2, 2015 for alleged bribery and corruption and money laundering.