By Lukman Olabiyi
Three companies have approached the Federal High Court Lagos, to stop permanent forfeiture of 56 houses allegedly bought between 2011 and 2013 for $21,982,224 million (N3,320,000,000 billion) by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The companies: Chapel Properties Limited, Blue Nile Estate Limited, and Vistapoint Property Development Limited. were among the four firms listed as respondents alongside the former minister in the temporary forfeiture order granted by Justice Abdulaziz Anka of the court on August 22.
The judge gave the verdict while ruling on an ex parte application filed on August 16 and argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking for temporary forfeiture of the properties.
First to sixth respondents in the suit are Diezani, Donald Chidi Amamgbo and four firms, Chapel Properties Limited, Blue Nile Estate Limited, Azinga Meadows Limited and Vistapoint Property Development Limited.
Justice Anka, who sat as a vacation judge, in his ruling, ordered EFCC to appoint a firm to manage the properties and gave the respondents 14 days to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Besides, the judge directed the commission to publish the order in any national newspaper and adjourned till September 8.
Detail later