Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an application by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to amend her suit challenging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) order for the final forfeiture of her seized assets.
The application was granted after Diezani’s lawyer, Godwin Inyinbor, moved the motion, with EFCC counsel, Divine Oguru, raising no objections.
Inyinbor informed the court that they had filed a motion to amend the originating process, which had been duly served to the defendant. Oguru did not oppose the request, and Justice Ekwo granted the application as requested.
The judge gave Diezani five days to file and serve the amended processes, while the EFCC has 14 days to respond from the date of service. The case was adjourned to March 17 for further mention.
In her suit, Diezani seeks to set aside the EFCC’s public notice of a public sale for her property, which she argues was made without jurisdiction or a fair hearing. She claims that the final forfeiture orders against her assets were made based on misstatements, non-disclosure, and suppression of material facts.
The EFCC opposed the application, with a counter-affidavit filed by Detective Rufus Zaki. Zaki argued that Diezani had been charged with criminal conspiracy, official corruption, and money laundering, and that the forfeiture orders were made through due legal processes. He claimed that the contested properties were disposed of lawfully and that the claims in Diezani’s suit were untrue.
This case is part of Diezani’s ongoing legal battles involving multiple asset forfeiture orders and a separate suit seeking N100 billion in damages for alleged defamatory publications by the EFCC.
