A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the final forfeiture of a vacant plot of land situated at Plot 13, Block I, Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki, Lagos, linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to the Federal Government.
Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order upon the granting of a motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through one of its lawyers, Ansalem Ozioko, seeking final forfeiture of the land to government. The motion was moved and argued by a legal officer in the anti-graft agency, Abbas Mohammed.
In granting the motion, Justice Aluko held: “Upon this motion on notice dated February 17, 2022 coming before this Honourable Court on the 25th day of March, 2022, praying the court for the following reliefs: a final order forfeiting the properties/assets listed and described in the schedule herein to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“And for such further orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.
“Upon reading affidavit in support of the motion paper sworn to by Babana Job, of EFCC of 15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
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“And the court having heard A.O. Mohammed Esq, for the Plaintiff/ Applicant moved the application praying the court to grant the reliefs sought as endorsed on the motion paper.
“It is hereby ordered as follows; “That a final order is hereby granted forfeiting the property/asset listed and described in the schedule herein to the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
In an affidavit in support of the motion for final forfeiture deposed to by one of its investigators, Babana Job, the EFCC stated that sometimes in 2016, a search warrant was executed at the office and premises of Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo (second Defendant in the suit) and a known acquaintance of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources (first Defendant).
Job stated that among the documents recovered from the office of second defendant was an undated report titled: Highly Confidential Attorney work Product August Report.
The said report contained a list of 18 companies and several property located in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Nigeria.
It was added that the Commission extended invitation to the second defendant having been unable to locate the first defendant in respect of the discoveries during the search.
“The second defendant honoured the invitation extended to him and upon his report, he was confronted with the Highly Confidential Attorney work Product August Report and in the course of interview, he told the agency that he registered the 18 companies, including the third defendant to assist Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke (first Defendant) in holding titles of her properties and that all the properties belong to her,” the deponent averred.
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The deponent stated further that as part of investigative procedures, the Commission wrote and dispatched letters of investigation activities to Oniru chieftaincy family property company (Oniru), individuals, organization and financial institutions following which replies were received and analysed.
He added that based on the findings of the investigation, the EFCC commenced action to forfeit the vacant plot at plot 13 Block Il, Oniru Chieftaincy Family private Estate, Lekki, Lagos State.
Justice Babs Kuewuni had earlier on May 15, 2018, granted an interim forfeiture of the said land to the Federal Government.
The EFCC had listed the ex-Petroleum Minister, a Nigerian lawyer, Donald Chidi Amamgbo and MEZ Group LLC, as respondents in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/811/2018.
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