A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Monday, has ordered 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.

The two properties located at Plot 1854 Mohammed Mahashir Street, and No. 6, Aso Drive, in the highbrow Asokoro and Maitama Districts of Abuja were valued at $2,674,418USD and N380, 000,000 respectively.

The luxury cars are a black BMW saloon with Chassis No B8CV54V66629 and registered number, RBC155 DH and a black Jaguar saloon car with Chassis No SAJAA.20 GRDMv43376, valued at N36,000,000

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon gave the order forfeiting the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria while ruling on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Suits No. 1122/2021 and 1123/2021, asking for the final forfeiture of the assets.

The Commission had on November 29, 2021 secured the interim forfeiture on the assets in a ruling on separate motion ex-parte filed on September 27, 2021.

The motion had prayed the court to order the interim forfeiture of the assets on the grounds of reasonable suspicion that they were proceeds of unlawful activities.

In granting the interim forfeiture Order, Justice Olajuwon had ordered the 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 of Nigeria.

The court consequently adjourned till January 22, 2022 for report.

In compliance with the Order of Court, the Forfeiture Order was published in Thisday Newspaper of Wednesday April 6, 2022, by the EFCC.

In the absence of any contestation of the Interim Order, the Court, Monday,  forfeited the properties to the Federal Government.

In March 2022, the former Minister also lost her vacant plot of land situated at Plot 13, Block I, Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki, Lagos, to the government.

Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order of final forfeiture following an application filed by the Head, Legal Section of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Anselem Ozioko, but moved and argued by a legal Officer in the Commission, Mr. Abbas Mohammed.

The EFCC had listed the former petroleum Minister, and a Nigeria lawyer, Donald Chidi Amamgbo and MEZ Group LLC, as respondents in the suit n FHC/L/CS/811/2018.

In October 2017, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos also ordered the permanent forfeiture of 56 houses situated in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja valued at $21,982,224 (about N3.3 billion) linked to the former Minister.

The forfeited property included 21 mixed housing units of eight four-bedroom penthouse apartments; six  three-bedroom apartments; two three-bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom apartment, all ensuit and located at 7, Thurnburn Street and 5, Raymond Street, Yaba, valued at N937 million and bought through Chapel Properties Ltd.

Others are: 16 four-bedroom terrace, located at Heritage Court Estate, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, valued at N928 million and bought through Blue Nile Estate Ltd; 13 three-bedroom with one room maid’s quarter, situated at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja, valued at N650 million and bought through Azinga Meadows Ltd and six flats of three-bedroom and one boys quarters, located at Plot 808 (135) Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, valued at N805 million and bought through Vistapoint Property Development Ltd.

In September 2019, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, the presiding judge of a federal high couty in Lagos also ordered the permanenet forfeiture of $40 million worth of jewellery seized from the residence of the former Minister.

The forfeiture included 2,149 pieces of jewellery and a customised gold iPhone, valued at $40 million, recovered from the Abuja home by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.