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Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from auctioning properties confiscated from her.
Through her legal team, led by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), she also requested the court to compel the EFCC to reclaim any properties already sold to individuals or corporations.
Alison-Madueke argued that the EFCC, in violation of her right to a fair hearing, began auctioning her assets in 2023, based on forfeiture orders obtained from various courts.
She maintained that despite these forfeiture rulings, she was never formally charged, provided with evidence of any alleged crimes, or served court summons in any criminal case.
She accused the EFCC of securing the forfeiture orders through misrepresentation and concealment of crucial information.
“In many instances, the courts were misled into issuing final forfeiture orders against my assets due to the suppression and non-disclosure of vital facts. These orders were granted by courts that lacked proper jurisdiction and were made without considering my constitutional right to a fair hearing,” she contended.
The former minister, who left Nigeria in 2015 for medical treatment, insisted that she was not aware of the legal proceedings against her, as she was outside the country at the time and had no access to local publications where case notices may have been published.
She further argued that the EFCC’s claim that the confiscated properties were proceeds of unlawful activities was baseless, as she had never been convicted of any crime.
Alison-Madueke emphasized that in criminal cases, allegations require strict proof beyond reasonable doubt, rather than the lower standard of proof used in civil proceedings.
She asserted that only a court of law could declare an act unlawful and that the EFCC’s claims alone were insufficient to justify the forfeiture.
She also pointed out that multiple suits challenging the forfeiture orders were pending in Lagos courts and argued that no sale should take place until those cases were resolved.
In response, the EFCC filed a counter-affidavit, asserting that its actions were lawful. One of its detectives, Oyakhilome Ekienabor, stated that investigations into Alison-Madueke’s tenure as a public official led to criminal charges against her in different courts, including cases filed in Abuja and Adamawa in 2017 and 2018.
The EFCC maintained that the sale of the properties followed due legal process, with forfeiture orders issued by Justice C.A. Obiozor and Justice I.N. Oweibo in 2019.
The agency claimed that it had published public notices inviting interested parties to contest the forfeiture before proceeding with the sale.
At the court hearing, Alison-Madueke’s lawyer, Godwin Iyibor, requested additional time to respond to the EFCC’s counter-affidavit, which was only served on him on March 14.
The EFCC’s counsel, Divine Okoro, acknowledged delays in filing responses but assured the court of the commission’s readiness to proceed.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case to March 27 for a definitive hearing, warning that no further delays would be entertained.
It is worth noting that Alison-Madueke has also filed a ₦100 billion defamation lawsuit against the EFCC, alleging that the commission orchestrated media reports portraying her as a treasury looter, thereby damaging her reputation.