Former Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Diezani Alison-Madueke ‘s N7,644,700,000.00 properties have been permanently
forfeited to the Federal Government by the Federal High Court in Lagos on
August 28, 2017.
The money which is reasonable suspected to be
proceeds of illegal activities was traced by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) to an account in a new generation bank. It is said to be
among monies allegedly stashed in several local banks by the former minister.
Today’s ruling by Justice Abdulaziz Anka followed an
application by the EFCC seeking the final forfeiture of the money to the
federal government. This came on the heels of the interim forfeiture order by
Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High court in which he mandated the
Commission to publish a notice in the media requesting any interested party to
show cause within two weeks, why the money should not be permanently forfeited
to the federal government.
At the hearing on Monday, Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi
Oyedepo, informed the Court that the interim order had been published in a
national newspaper as directed and no one contested the forfeiture order.
Urging the court to order a permanent forfeiture of
the funds, Oyedepo said, “ I pray my Lord to forfeit this money to the Federal
Government of Nigeria for it to be utilized for Nigerians, since no one is
willing to contest this application.
Delivering his judgement on the application,
Justice Anka held that, “In the face of the publication, which I find before
me, and there being no responses from any interested party, I have no other
option but to grant the orders as prayed”.