The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced properties in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The properties, said to be worth billions in naira, are located at E146 Emirates Hill Dubai and J5 Emirates Hill Dubai, according to a top EFCC source.
The source said the properties were traced through cooperation with the UAE, which made available information in a register of properties belonging to Nigerians.
The commission is also set to obtain a court order confiscating and preventing sale of the properties through the instrumentality of the Mareva injunction.
Apart from these new properties in Dubai, the EFCC had earlier said it traced about N47.2billion and $487.5million in cash and properties to Diezani Alison-Madueke, adding that a search of one of Alison-Madueke’s residences in Abuja, turned up boxes of gold, silver and diamond jewellery, worth several million pounds sterling.
Another property valued at $37.5m in Banana Island, Lagos was also traced to the former minister, according to the EFCC.
She was said to have purchased the 15-storey building, which comprises 18 flats and six penthouses, between 2011 and 2012 from the developers, YF Construction and Real Estate.
On August 7, 2017, Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge sitting at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, ordered the final forfeiture of property on Banana Island.
The EFCC said the property allegedly linked to Diezani in Banana Island Lagos consists of two apartments at the Bella Vista Court.
It said the apartments which are Penthouses, are located on Block C-5, Flat 21, Plot 1 and Zone N, and bought for $350 million allegedly stolen from Nigeria’s treasury on November 22, 2011.
Also in Lagos, Alison-Madueke allegedly bought a block of six units’ serviced apartments at number 135, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi at the rate of N800 million on January 6, 2012.
The EFCC said other properties in Yaba, Lagos, were located at number 7, Thurnburn Street and 5, Raymond Street.
Daily Trust reports that properties in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Lekki Phase one, Lagos; Asokoro, Mabushi, Maitama, all in Abuja; among others, have been traced to the former minister.