The final forfeiture of two Abuja properties and two luxury cars belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to the Federal Government, has been ordered by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday.
The properties, located at Plot 1854, Mohammed Mahashir Street, and No. 6, Aso Drive, in the highbrow Asokoro and Maitama Districts of Abuja, are valued at $2,674,418 and N380,000,000 respectively.
The luxury cars are a black BMW saloon with chassis number B8CV54V66629 and registration number RBC155 DH and a black Jaguar saloon car with chassis number SAJAA.20 GRDMv43376, valued at N36,000,000.
The judge gave the order forfeiting the assets to the Federal Government while ruling on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Suit No. 1122/2021 and Suit No 1123/2021.
The commission had, on November 29, 2021 secured interim forfeiture on the assets in a ruling on a separate motion ex-parte, filed on September 27, 2021, which prayed the court to order the forfeiture on the grounds of reasonable suspicion that they were proceeds of unlawful activities.
In granting the order, Justice Olajuwon had ordered 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.
The court consequently adjourned till January 22, 2022 for report.
