Trouble does not trickle for Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, under scrutiny for abuse of office and monumental fraud since 2015, it pours.
Less than one week after a Federal High Court in Abuja, the nation’s capital, ordered the forfeiture of 2,149 pieces of jewellery and a customised gold iPhone, valued at $40 million, belonging to her, another court, Tuesday, ordered the forfeiture of another of her properties to the federal government.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided by Justice Chuka Obiozor, ordered that a plot of land in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, belonging to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources be forfeited to the federal government.
Justice Obiozor made the forfeiture order following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The anti-graft agency had told the judge that the land, “measuring 7,903.71 – 8,029.585 square metres” and designated as Plot 9, Azikiwe Road, Old GRA (UAC Property on Forces Avenue), Port Harcourt, was reasonably suspected to be part of proceeds of unlawful activities.
The commission had prayed the court for an order to allow it “to appoint a competent person or firm to manage the asset/property.”
It also prayed the court to prohibit “any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienation or otherwise of the asset/property.”
Counsel for the EFCC, Ebuka Okongwu, argued that the judge had the power, pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006, to make the forfeiture order.
Justice Obiozor granted the forfeiture order as requested by the lawyer.
