Detectives have been
deployed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in the ongoing probe of former
Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. Of interest are
five choice houses believed to be Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s.
It is all part of
the last leg of the investigation of the ex-minister in collaboration with the
National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom. Amid the Port Harcourt operation,
another asset of the ex-Minister in Abuja, allegedly worth over N500million,
has been confiscated pending her trial.
The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier seized a mansion worth
N3.58billion from the ex-minister, bringing the haul in Abuja to about
N4.08billion of assets believed to be hers.
The EFCC received
intelligence report on the property allegedly acquired by Mrs. Alison-Madueke
in Port Harcourt.
The tracking of the
assets is said to be part of the probe of about $10billion allegedly looted in
cash and assets by some former public officers. The properties under
surveillance in Port Harcourt are said to be worth over N3billion
According to the
Nation, a top source in EFCC, who spoke in confidence, said: “Based on latest
intelligence, we have been able to trace more choice assets to Mrs.
Alison-Madueke in Port Harcourt. We have drafted more operatives in Rivers
State.
“We have identified
more than five of such assets but we need to verify the ownership by going
through some documents before attaching the properties in line with our
mandate.
“In the next one
week, our team in Port Harcourt would have completed their assignment. We will
then release the value of the assets. “We are also on the trail of some
accomplices who were used for the property deals.”
Responding to a
question, the source said: “We are still working in collaboration with NCA in
the UK. I think we are getting closer to the final leg of the Mrs. Alison-Madueke
probe.”
Another property,
which is believed to be worth N500million, has been seized from the
ex-minister. The source said the property is believed to be at Frederick
Chiluba Close in Asokoro District in Abuja.
The asset is now
placed under interim forfeiture until the court decides otherwise,” he added.
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