EFCC to trace, seize ex-minister’s US properties

monjola sotubo

August 24, 2016 10:41 AM

EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu is said to have recently returned from a visit to the US where he held discussions on the planned seizure of Alison-Madueke’s assets.

Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke addresses delegates at the opening of the Nigeira Oil & Gas 2014 conference in a file photo

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EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu is said to have recently returned from a visit to the US where he held discussions on the planned seizure of Alison-Madueke’s assets, according to The Nation.

“We have located some assets allegedly owned by Diezani and some of her business associates in the United States. We are already collaborating with the US Government to attach these assets,” an EFCC source said.

“In fact, the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, spent about one and a half weeks in the US to work with the relevant agencies to trace Diezani’s properties, some of which are believed to have been secured through business fronts like Kola Aluko.

“We have submitted relevant documents to the US authorities in order to facilitate the seizure of the assets. Some of these properties were acquired through some business fronts like Aluko and Omokore. We even have a in which houses on a street in Switzerland have been traced to an associate of Diezani.

“Don’t forget that the EFCC initially secured a Mareva Injunction from Justice O.O. Oguntoyinbo to freeze some foreign accounts and seize some assets linked with Diezani’s associates in the United Kingdom,” the source added.

Ms Alison-Madueke has been in the eye of the storm since October 2015 when she was arrested in the UK on allegations of money laundering.

ALSO READ: EFCC seizes Diezani Alison-Madueke’s $18M house with bulletproof gym in Abuja

Investigations into the charges have also involved two of her associates, Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore.

Aluko has confessed to paying rent for the former minister’s mother, but insists it was an innocent arrangement.

The EFCC earlier said that it had recovered jewellery worth over £2 million (N593 million) from Alison-Madueke and Omokore’s wife.

monjola sotubo