The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the forfeiture of assets valued at $16.041,906, about N2.6bn, that have been linked to former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told Justice AbdulAziz Anka that the assets are suspected to be proceeds of corruption.
In documents put before the court, the EFCC says that it received an intelligence report sometime in 2016 against one Donald Chidi Amamgbo and the former petroleum minister.
The commission then conducted a search warrant at the premises and offices of Mr Amamgbo and recovered an undated report titled, “Highly Confidential Attorney Work Product-August Report”.
The report allegedly contains a list of 18 companies and several properties located in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and the United States.
During the course of investigations, Mr Amamgbo claimed that he registered the 18 companies to assist Mrs Alison-Madueke in holding titles of certain properties.
The properties are listed as 21 mixed housing units of 8 terrace units of 4 bedrooms each all ensuite, six three bedroom apartments all ensuite and some other property located at Thoburn Street in the Yaba area of Lagos.
Others are 16 four bedroom terrace houses located at Heritage Court Estate, GRA Extension, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, 13 three bedroom terrace houses located at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Abuja and 6 flats of three bedrooms, a lawn tennis court, gym, garden and other appurtenances located at Plot 808, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Four companies, Chapel Properties Ltd, Blue Nile Estate Ltd, Azinge Meadows Ltd and Vistapoint Property Development were allegedly used to acquire the properties.
The EFCC listed all four companies as respondents alongside the Former Petroleum Minister and her acquaintance, Mr Donald Amamgbo.
The Head of Legal of the EFCC’s Lagos Office, Mr Anselem Ozioko, also told the court that some documents from First Bank of Nigeria confirmed to the commission that payments for all the properties were at the instance of Mrs Alison-Madueke.
He urged the court to order the interim forfeiture of the assets as the EFCC believes they were procured with proceeds of corruption.
Justice Obiozor granted the order and directed the commission to cause it to be published.
He then adjourned till September 8 for all five respondents and any other interested party to appear before him to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
