Justice Mojisola Olatoregun  of the Federal  High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday,  February 28, 2018 ordered the final forfeiture  of two properties n Lagos belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources,  Diezani Alison-Madueke, to the Federal Government.

The properties are: Pent House 21, Building 5, Block C,  11th floor( Bella  Vista Estate)  located at Plot 1, Zone N. Federal Government  Layout,  Banana  Island,  Ikoyi,  Lagos.

The other is Pent House 22, Block B(Admiralty Estate),  located at Gerrald Road,  Ikoyi,  Lagos.

The Economic and Final Crimes Commission, EFCC,   had, on February 5, 2018, filed a motion on notice dated February 2, 2018, seeking the final forfeiture  of the properties to the Federal  Government.

In the motion on notice, the applicant counsel , A. B. C. Oziokor, had sought the order of the court prohibiting any disposal,  conveyance,  mortgage, lease,  sale or alienation or otherwise  of the assets / properties, which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful  activity.

Also,  the applicant had sought the order of the court authorizing the Commission to appoint a  competent person(s) or firm to manage the assets/ properties.

The motion on notice was served on Chima Umezurike,  counsel to the respondents: Diezani  Alison Madueke, Donald Chidi Amangbo,  Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah  Property Limited.

During today's sitting, the motion was taken and the lawyer to the respondent filed a response, stating  that the properties had earlier been transferred  to the Federal Government.

Umezurike  did not oppose the application for the final forfeiture of the  properties by the applicant counsel.

Consequently,  Justice Mojisola,  in her ruling, granted the applicant's prayers accordingly.

The EFCC had, on December 5, 2017, filed an ex parte application seeking a temporary forfeiture of the properties,  which were suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity.

The application  was supported by a 34-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abdulrasheed Bawa,  an investigator with the EFCC.

In her ruling on the application,  Justice Olatoregun  had order the interim forfeiture of the property.

The judge had also directed the Commission to publish the forfeiture order in a national newspaper for the respondents or any interested person(s) to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

                            

Media and Publicity                            

28 February, 2018