Diezani Alison-Madueke Forfeits New N2.6b Properties In Lagos, Rivers, Abuja To Government
One of Diezani Banana Island mansions seized by EFCC
The
Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, ordered temporary forfeiture of four
buildings scattered in Abuja and two States: Lagos and Rivers, linked to her
associates and herself, and believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to
Sahara Reporters former Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani
Alison-Madueke today lost yet another set or choice properties valued
at over N2.6 billion to the federal government.
The Federal
High Court, sitting in Lagos, ordered temporary forfeiture of four
buildings scattered in Abuja and two States: Lagos
and Rivers, linked to her associates and herself,
and believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The order
followed an ex-parte application argued before the court by the
lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
Anselm Ozioko.
Named as
respondents are: Alison-Madueke; Donald Chidi Amamgbo,
Chapel Properties Limited, Blue Nile Estate
Limited, Azinga Meadows Limited, and Vistapoints Property
Development Limited.
The properties ordered to be temporarily forfeited include of 21 mixed housing units of 8 numbers of four bedrooms penthouse apartment; six buildings of three-bedroom apartments; two buildings of three-bedroom apartments and one building of four-bedroom apartments, all located at 7 Thurnburn Street and 5 Raymond Street in Yaba, Lagos, valued at N937 million.
A second set of properties comprises 16-four-bedroom terrace, located
at Heritage Court Estate in Port-Harcourt, River State, valued at
N928 million. The third is another 13-three
bedroom property with one room maid's quarters, situated
at Mabushi Gardens Estate in Abuja, valued at N650 million;
and six flats of three bedrooms and one boys quarter, located on
Awolowo Road in Ikoyi, Lagos, valued at N805 million.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the properties were purchased
by Mrs. Alison-Madueke and Mr. Amamgbo through four
companies: Chapel Properties Limited; Blue Nile Estate
Limited; Azinga Meadows Nigeria Limited;
and Vistapoint Property Development Limited.
In an affidavit attached to the ex-parte application,
Sambo Muazu Mayana, an investigator with the Agency, averred
that sometime in 2016, an intelligence report was received against
both Diezani and Amamgbo which led to a search
warrant which was executed at the office and premises
of Amamgbo.
According to him, among the documents recovered
from Amamgbo was an undated report titled "Highly Confidential
Attorney Work Product - August Report which contained 18 companies
and several Properties located in United Kingdom (UK), Nigeria
and the United States of America, and that Mr. Amamgbo,
told the agency during the investigation he had registered the 18
companies to assist the former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke in
holding the titles of the now temporarily-forfeited properties.
Mr. Mayana further stated
that further investigation into the ownership of the said
properties indicated that FBN Mortgage Limited was the last owner of the
three of the properties, and that payment for them were received by
FBN Mortgage at various times between 2011 and June 16, 2015.
He added that First Bank of Nigeria Plc stated in a letter that the source
of the monies was from Mrs. Alison-Madueke, and that the bank picked
up US dollars from her house at 10, Frederick Chiluba
Close in Asokoro, Abuja, and that the sum of $3,342,307 million
was credited into FBN Mortgage Limited account number 2008133531.
He also declared that FBN, in an extra-judicial
statement made by its Head of Public Sector Group, confirmed that the sum of
N840 million, equivalent of $5,540,318m, transferred to Skye Bank by one
Adeyemi Edun, was picked up on 23 May 2011 from
Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s home at 10 Fredrick Chiluba
Close in Abuja, and transferred
on her instructions to Skye Bank in favor of
Adeyemi Edun on the same day.
Consequently, Mr Ozioko deposition urged the court
to grant the application in the interest of Justice.
The presiding vacation Judge Abdulaziz Anka, after
listening to Ozioko's submission, ordered that all the
properties involved be forfeited to the federal government.
He also ordered the EFCC to appoint competent person(s) or firm to
manage the temporarily forfeited assets/properties and to notify the
respondents in whose possession the assets/properties sought to be forfeited
are found, to appear before the court and show cause within 14
days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the
government.
Justice Anka further directed the EFCC to make
publication of the interim order in a national newspaper for the
respondents and anyone who is interested in the properties to appear before the
court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture
of the properties should not be made in favor of the Federal
government of Nigeria.
Diezani Alison-Madueke Forfeits New N2.6b Properties In Lagos, Rivers, Abuja To Government
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on
Thursday, August 24, 2017
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