Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has approved an application from former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke to amend her lawsuit challenging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) order for the final forfeiture of her seized assets.
The ruling came after Alison-Madueke’s lawyer, Godwin Inyinbor, moved the motion, which was not opposed by the EFCC’s counsel, Divine Oguru. During the proceedings, Inyinbor informed the court that the motion for amendment had already been filed and that the defendant had been duly served.
Justice Ekwo granted the request, allowing Alison-Madueke five days to file and serve the amended documents, while the EFCC was given 14 days from the date of service to respond. The case has been adjourned until March 17 for further mention.
Alison-Madueke’s lawsuit targets the EFCC as the sole respondent and seeks to extend the time to apply for an order to set aside the EFCC’s public notice regarding the sale of her property. In her motion, filed on January 6, 2023, she requested five specific orders from the court, arguing that previous rulings were made without jurisdiction and violated her right to a fair hearing as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.
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She contended that she was not served with the charge sheet or any summons related to the criminal charges against her, asserting that the courts were misled into issuing final forfeiture orders based on non-disclosure of essential facts. Diezani Alison-Madueke claimed that the orders were issued in breach of her constitutional rights, stating, “The applicant was never served with the processes of court in all the proceedings that led to the order of final forfeiture.”
In a counter-affidavit, EFCC detective Rufus Zaki urged the court to dismiss Alison-Madueke’s application, asserting that the investigation had revealed her involvement in criminal activities, leading to her charges in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/208/2018. Zaki argued that the final forfeiture orders were properly issued and that the properties had been disposed of in accordance with the law.
The EFCC had planned to conduct a public auction of the seized assets, which are believed to include properties belonging to Alison-Madueke, starting from January 9, 2023. The former minister, who served between 2010 and 2015, is alleged to have escaped to the United Kingdom after leaving office. This asset-related suit is separate from her ongoing claim for N100 billion in damages for alleged defamatory publications by the EFCC.
