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November 21, (THEWILL) – Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to amend her legal challenge against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the final forfeiture of her seized assets.
The EFCC had accused Diezani of criminal conspiracy, corruption, and money laundering, alleging that she fled to the United Kingdom after her tenure as minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015.
The anti-graft agency claims to have recovered $153 million and over 80 properties linked to her.
Through her counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Diezani filed a suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023) on January 6, 2023, seeking an extension of time to challenge the EFCC’s public notice for the sale of her forfeited assets.
She alleged that the forfeiture orders were obtained through misrepresentation and suppression of facts.
“The several applications upon which the courts made the final orders of forfeiture were obtained upon gross misstatements, misrepresentations, non-disclosure, and suppression of material facts,” Diezani argued.
She maintained that her constitutional rights to fair hearing and property were violated, as she was not served with court processes during the proceedings leading to the forfeiture orders.
In its counter-affidavit, deposed by Rufai Zaki, the EFCC urged the court to dismiss her application.
The case, initially scheduled for October 7, 2024, was postponed to November 21, 2024, due to the presiding judge’s seminar at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Diezani’s counsel, Godwin Iyinbor, informed Justice Inyang Ekwo that they had filed a motion to amend their processes and served the EFCC accordingly.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until February 17, 2025, for a hearing on the motion to amend the originating process.
The case continues to spotlight the EFCC’s high-profile asset recovery efforts and the legal battles surrounding forfeited assets.
