The 30th of June has been scheduled by the Federal High Court Abuja for the hearing of a suit filed by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, challenging the confiscation of her properties by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC).
Alison-Madueke was at the hearing represented by Mr. Godwin Iyinbor from the chambers of Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN. The EFCC, however, was not represented in court to challenge her suit.
Iyinbor informed the court, presided over by Justice Musa Umar, that Justice Inyang Ekwo, who previously handled the case, had stated during the last adjournment that any party responsible for delaying the hearing would be penalized with costs.
Justice Umar, cited that since the pronouncement was not made by him declared another opportunity for the EFCC to appear so that the court can finalize the suit as filed by the embattled former minister.
He directed that hearing notices be served and adjourned the matter to June 30 for hearing.
The case, filed in 2023 under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023, involves Alison-Maduekeโs request for an extension of time to apply for an order nullifying the EFCCโs public notice announcing the sale of her properties.
In her application, the former minister argued that the asset forfeiture orders were issued without proper jurisdiction and that she was denied a fair hearing during the proceedings leading to those orders.
She is seeking five reliefs from the court, including the cancellation of the EFCCโs notice on the property sale.
According to her, the orders in favor of the EFCC breached her constitutional right to fair hearing as provided under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
Alison-Madueke also claimed she was never served with the charge sheet, supporting evidence, or summons related to the charges, and that the court was misled into granting the forfeiture orders due to the withholding or omission of key information.
The EFCC, in response, urged the court to dismiss the suit, asserting that due process had been followed in obtaining the final forfeiture order.
The commission maintained that the properties were lawfully disposed of under a 2017 court ruling, which remains unchallenged on appeal.
The People’s Insight recalls that the former Petroleum Minister Allison Diezani-Madueke was alleged to have looted funds used in the acquisition of 18 flats, 6 penthouses, 125 wedding gowns, and the jaw-dropping worldโs most expensive bra from the creative desk of Victoria’s Secret.
This revelation was made public following the docu-series aired by Nigeria’s TV host, filmmaker, and media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, revealing the alleged subtle details of the former minister’s misdeeds in office.
While a spectrum of the country’s populace, believed to be a pro-Allison Diezani Madueke team, has argued that the media’s projection of Madueke as a looting minister is only influenced by its misogynistic approach towards denting her political image as a force to reckon with, others believe she indeed looted the funds during her time in office and should face the wrath of the law.
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