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Tag: Diezani Alison-Madueke

  • Judge’s absence stalls SAN’s, ex-minister’s trial for ‘money laundering’

    The absence of Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday stalled the trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Dele Belgore and a former National Planning Minister Prof Abubakar Suleiman for alleged money laundering.

    The judge had adjourned to hear an application by Belgore for the prosecution to produce additional statements he made that were not tendered in evidence.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke (“at large”), Belgore and Suleiman of making cash payment of N10million to a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara State Dr Emmanuel Onucheyo, and N10million to a Commissioner of Police Garba Saliu.

    According to EFCC, they allegedly made the payments on March 27, 2015 without going through a financial institution.

    The sums, the commission said, exceeded the amount authorised by law and violated Section 1(a) and Section 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act of 2012 and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b).

    Justice Aikawa had dismissed a no-case submission made by the defendants, holding that they were at liberty to enter their defence.

    Defence counsel Seni Adio (SAN) said he had a pending application dated January 16 in which Belgore is praying the court to order the EFCC to produce all the statements he made.

    But prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo argued that the prosecution tendered all the statements Belgore made and had closed its case.

    Adio, however, insisted that the additional statements were tendered and were needed to enable Belgore defend himself.

    Justice Aikawa then directed Oyedepo to file a formal objection to the application to produce the additional statements.

    The application will be heard on Thursday.

  • Why nobody was indicted over alleged missing $49.8bn – Makarfi

    As former minister of petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke prepares to stand trial in the United Kingdom for alleged corrupt offenses in Nigeria, reasons have been proffered why she or any other individual was not indicted in the infamous missing $49.8 billion proceeds to federation account.

    The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi Wednesday told finance journalists in Abuja why the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke was not indicted by the committee that investigated the unremitted $49.8bn revenue by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

    Makarfi who served as former governor of Kaduna state was the chairman of the committee that set up by the seventh senate to investigate the $48.9bn unremitted oil revenue following allegations raised by the then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

    Makarfi said the terms of reference given by the senate to the committee, only mandated the committee to determine if the said amount was actually missing and unremitted to the federation account.

    However after the committee’s investigation he stated that “there was no evidence to show that the former minister was involved in the missing fund.”

    According to Makarfi, “some people expected us to indict Diezani, she must have committed some other offences but when you come to the issue of the revenue we were probing as regards that period, the NNPC never presented any document she tampered with or approved anything. Everything the NNPC did, they said they were the ones responsible and they are the ones accounting.”

    He then questioned that “on what basis will you go to an individual to indict that person. Nobody presented any memo, internal or whatever to show that for the period our probe covered, she gave any instruction as regards the missing revenue.”

    He said those accusing the committee of cover up were being economical with the truth, adding that in some of its recommendations, the NNPC was required to make refunds of over $5 billion to the coffers of government.

    Specifically, Makarfi gave reporters the copy of the report and it was recommended that “NNPC should refund and remit to the federation account the sum of $262 million being expenses it could not satisfactorily defend.”

    He dismissed claims in some quarters that the committee was compromised since it did not indict any official of government as a result of the unremitted revenue.

    The former Kaduna state governor and senator blamed the inability of the committee to indict individuals to the fact that “the report of the forensic audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation was not made available to the committee contrary to the earlier understanding between the committee and the then Auditor-General for the Federation, Mr Samuel Ukura that the final recommendation of the committee should be based on the forensic audit report conducted by the Office of the Auditor-General.

    Brandishing the copy of the report before journalists, Makarfi noted that “we were given an assignment that was very specific, which was that $48.9 billion was not remitted into the federation account and in the course of doing our job, we were given additional task to find out how N700 million was being spent daily to subsidize kerosene.

    According to him “these were the two specific assignments given to us. For the first one we were to determine the amount that entered the federation account within a specified period of time and it didn’t have to do with so many aspects of NNPC operations such as strategic alliances, contracts and allocation of blocks.”

    Makarfi then disclosed that “at the end of the day we came out with findings that there was no certainty as to the amount not being remitted, as the CBN was not even sure how much was not remitted. As to the issue of indicating anybody, we didn’t indicate anybody because forensic audit was yet to be conducted then.”

    He explained further that “we had understanding with Auditor-General for the Federation that he will conduct a forensic audit which would be forwarded to our committee and we indicated this in our report to the Senate that when we receive the forensic audit report we will make specific recommendations on matters that have to do with individuals.

    “Maybe because we were leaving government, all our communications to the auditor general were ignored and we communicated to the senate that we were unable to get this audit report from the auditor general and our hands were tied.”

    Defending the integrity of his committee’s report, Makarfi noted that “when the National Economic Council appointed Price Water House to do the same audit but with a wider scope, their report and our own was not far apart. Mind you they had longer terms of reference and longer period to cover.”

    Regarding the controversial kerosene subsidy at that time, Senator Makarfi stated that “because of the sensitivity of the matter, I sought the permission of the senate president that I wanted to find out the truth even from the then President (Goodluck Jonathan) if he approved it (subsidy).”

    “He arranged it and I asked specific questions whether he was aware that subsidy on kerosene was being paid and he confirmed in the affirmative.”

    Read Also: There is hope for Nigeria – Makarfi

  • Court orders forfeiture of Diezani’s $4.760m penthouses

    Court orders forfeiture of Diezani’s $4.760m penthouses

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the final forfeiture of two penthouses valued at $4.760m allegedly belonging to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    They are – Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, 11th floor (Bella Vista Estate) Banana Island, Ikoyi and Penthouse 22, Block B (Admiralty Estate) also in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Ruling on an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), JJustice Mojisola Olatoregun ordered that the buildings be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The Commission’s lawyer, Mr. ABC Ozioko, told the court that he had a motion on notice for a final forfeiture order in respect of the properties.

    He added that the interim forfeiture order made on December 5 last year was advertised in The Nation Newspaper as ordered by the court.

    He also prayed for an order prohibiting the disposal of any mortgage or sale of the properties, and for an order authorising the EFCC to appoint a competent person or firm to manage the properties.

    The respondents’ counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, did not object to the prayers.

    Justice Olatoregun granted the orders as prayed.

    She said: “I have observed the facts and exhibits attached and I am also mindful that the second, third and fourth respondents have no objections to the application.

    “I, therefore, have no hesitation in ordering a final forfeiture of the properties to the federal government.”

    Mrs. Alison-Madueke, Donald Amangbo, Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah Property Limited are the respondents in the matter.

    The Commission said the companies in whose names the companies were acquired belong to the former minister.

    An EFCC investigator, Abdulrasheed Bawa, in an affidavit, said sometime in 2016, a search warrant was executed at Amangbo’s premises.

    He said Amangbo was “an acquaintance of Mrs. Alison Madueke.”

    The investigator said one of the documents recovered from Amamgbo led the operatives to the Deputy Managing Director of YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited, Mr. Fadi Basbous.

    The deponent said Basbous made a statement where he stated that the two properties were sold at $3.570million and $1.194million and are owned by Sequoyah Properties Limited and Schillenburg LLC.

     

  • $1.6bn crude oil fraud: EFCC’s failure to produce witness stalls Omokore ‘s trial

    $1.6bn crude oil fraud: EFCC’s failure to produce witness stalls Omokore ‘s trial

    The prosecution’s failure to produce its witness before the Federal High Court, Abuja impeded progress yesterday in the trial of businessman, Jide Omokore and others for alleged diversion of $1.6bn proceeds of sales of Federal Government’s crude oil.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) is prosecuting Omokore, his two companies – Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited – and others on a nine-count charge of criminal diversion of about $1.6bn believed to be part of proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government.

    Also named as defendants in the case are a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company ( NNPC ), Victor Briggs; a former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the NNPC, Abiye Membere and a former Manager, Planning and Commercial of the NNPC, David Mbanefo.

     Former Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was also named in the case until late last year when the court struck out her name on the ground that she was listed as a defendant.

    On Wednesday, the 4th prosecution witness, a Senior Manager with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Adedayo Adesanmi confirmed that the bank froze the accounts owned by two of Omokore’s companies – Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited – due to a worldwide freezing order.

    He said:“The bank got a worldwide freezing order. There were also negative press generated by the accounts and frequent invitation from security agencies because of the accounts.”

    The prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) was to call another witness yesterday when Jacobs expressed his regrets to the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, over the failure of two scheduled witnesses to attend court on Thursday.

    He said his two witnesses that were from Lagos, were unable to make it to court yesterday despite  earlier assurances that they will attend court.

    Jacobs said one of the two witnesses was an investigative officer in the case, but was recently transferred from Abuja to Lagos.

    The trail judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba was uncomfortable with the turn of event and the prosecution’s failure to produce its witness.

    The judge noted that the prosecution had been dilligent in its handling of the case, but insisted that it must continue with the case.

    The judge suggested standing down the case for the witnesses to arrive to allow for progress in the case.

    At that point defence lawyers, including R.A Rabana-Lawal (SAN), Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN) and Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) said Jacobs had explained his difficulty to them before the commencement of proceedings.

    In view of the non-aversion of the defence to an adjournment, Justice Dimgba  reluctantly adjourned to March 1 and 2.

  • Hearing stalled in Diezani’s property forfeiture case

    Hearing stalled in Diezani’s property forfeiture case

    The hearing of an application to forfeit two penthouses valued at $4.760million allegedly belonging to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, was stalled at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday.

    The applicant, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the respondents were not represented in court when the case was called for hearing before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

    A new date of February 12 next year has been fixed for the hearing.

    The court had on December 5 ordered the temporary forfeiture of Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, 11th floor (Bella Vista Estate) Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, and Penthouse 22, Block B (Admiralty Estate), also in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    EFCC said the properties were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with “proceeds of crime.”

    Mrs. Alison-Madueke, Donald Amangbo, Schillenburg LLC and Sequoyah Property Limited are the respondents.

    The Commission said the companies in whose names the properties were acquired belong to the former minister.

    An investigator, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who deposed to a supporting affidavit to the ex-parte motion, said sometime in 2016, a search warrant was executed at Amangbo’s premises.

    He said Amangbo was “an acquaintance of Mrs. Alison Madueke.”

    The investigator said one of the documents recovered from Amamgbo led the operatives to the Deputy Managing Director of YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited, Mr. Fadi Basbous.

    The deponent said Basbous made a statement where he said the two properties were sold at $3.570million and $1.194 million and are owned by Sequoyah Properties Limited and Schillenburg LLC.

    Bawa said the properties were paid for by Mrs. Angela Jide-Jones and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited.

    According to him, Mrs. Jide-Jones was married to Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s associate, Jide Omokore, who registered and promoted Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept.

    The EFCC investigator said Omokore paid for the properties through his wife, Angela.

     

     

  • Ex-INEC staff explains N30m ‘Diezani cash’

    Ex-INEC staff explains N30m ‘Diezani cash’

    A former Administrative Secretary at the Kwara State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mr Christian Nwosu on Thursday denied being bribed by former Petroleum Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke to rig the 2015 general election results.

    He said the N30 million he was alleged to have collected from her was spent on logistics.

    Nwosu said his office knew about the money and how it was spent.

    He spoke while testifying in a trial-within-trial before Justice Ibrahim Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
    Under cross-examination by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, Nwosu claimed he did not personally benefit from the money.

    He said it was shared to INEC ad-hoc staff for logistics.

    He said: “I did not personally benefit from the N30 million. The ad-hoc staff benefitted because the election went smoothly with the assistance of the logistics support. My commission was aware of the money and the evidence was that the election went smoothly.”

    On how he got the cash, he said: “The money was not given to me by way of cheque. We were asked to go to the bank to collect it. No cheque was given to me at the bank. I just signed a document at the bank which confirmed the receipt of the money.

    “I did not instruct the bank to transfer the money to any account because it was not for me but for the coordinator (Mr Isa Adedoyin) who is to ensure that the money gets to the ad-hoc staff.”

    Nwosu said N17 million was paid into his Diamond Bank Plc account on April 7, 2015, while N13 million was also paid into his Union Bank account on April 13, 2015.

    Nwosu had earlier claimed that EFCC allegedly forced him to surrender his property worth N30million.

    He said he was also induced to part with N5million in a bid to regain his freedom.

    According to him, “the statements he made at EFCC were dictated to him while the one he made voluntarily was described as “rubbish”.

    Nwosu and Tijani Inda Bashir were accused of receiving N30million bribe from Mrs Alison-Madueke.

    They were arraigned along with Yisa Adedoyin, who pleaded guilty to receiving the cash payment of N70,050,000.00 from Mrs Alison-Madueke.

    Mrs Alison-Madueke is also named in the charge, but is said to be “at large”.

    Justice Idris adjourned to November 15.

  • Court: Diezani’s application for trial in Nigeria bizarre, misconceived

    Court: Diezani’s application for trial in Nigeria bizarre, misconceived

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday held that an application by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke seeking to be tried in Nigeria was “bizarre” and “misconceived”.
    Justice Rilwan Aikawa dismissed the application for lacking in merit.
    He agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) it was a bid by the former Minister to escape justice in the United Kingdom. 
    Mrs Alison-Madueke asked for an opportunity to defend allegations against her in a charge filed against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Dele Belgore and a former Minister of National Planning Prof Abubakar Suleiman.
    The prosecution said in the charge that Mrs Alison-Madueke (who is at large) allegedly shared $115,010,000 (about N35billion) to different individuals in 36 states ahead of the 2015 general elections, and that Belgore and Suleiman allegedly got N450milion from her.
    Ruling on the application, Justice Aikawa referred to EFCC’s counter affidavit where it was stated that while in the United Kingdom, Mrs Alison-Madueke was invited by the Metropolitan Police who are investigating her for several financial crimes.
    EFCC said she had been released on bail in the UK, but cannot leave the country, as investigations had reached an advanced stage and her trial imminent.
    The commission said the application to list her as a defendant and facilitate her return to Nigeria was designed to scuttle both her investigation and imminent prosecution in the UK and the ongoing trial of Belgore and Suleiman.
    According to the prosecution, Mrs Alison-Madueke’s application was a bid is to escape justice in the UK under the guise that she was coming to face trial in Nigeria.
    Justice Aikawa held: “This averment, as far as my record shows, has not been controverted by the applicant. They are by law deemed admitted by the applicant, in which case I have no option than to believe them.
    “By this unchallenged averment, the action of the applicant is simply a ploy to avoid justice in the UK. This court, unfortunately, cannot be used promote just that.
    “The discretion to prosecute or not to prosecute the applicant is entirely that of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation. This court has no power to interfere with that discretion. It will, therefore, not attempt to do so.
    “On the whole, therefore, I find this application to be lacking in merit and is accordingly dismissed.”
    Mrs Alison-Madueke’s lawyer Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) had argued that Section 216 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) provides that a court may permit an alteration or addition to a charge or the framing of a new charge before judgment is pronounced.
    He submitted that the section does not expressly state that the power to amend a charge was exclusively that of the prosecution.
    But, Justice Aikawa held: “I disagree with him. It cannot by any stretch of the imagination be envisaged that a person other than the prosecution may amend a charge under this provision. The power to amend lies, in my opinion, exclusively with the prosecution and not any other person.”
    Ikpeazu had also argued that Mrs Alison-Madueke was a “necessary party” to the case and therefore ought to be joined.
    To that, the judge said: “Again, I disagree. As far as I understand, in every criminal trial, the necessary parties are the complainant and the named defendants.
    “These are the persons the court will pronounce verdicts on at the conclusion of trial. The inclusion of the name of the applicant in counts one to four does not in my view make her a named defendant.
    “Counts one to four in relation to the applicant remain mere statements and no more. It has not graduated to the status of a charge.”
    Justice Aikawa also dismissed the SAN’s contention that the former minister would be denied her right to fair hearing guaranteed by Section 36 of the Constitution if trial proceeds in her absence.
    The judge held: “In my view, this is a case of crying wolf where there is none.”
    According to the judge, if anyone was to validly raise the issue of fair hearing, it was Belgore and Usman, not Alison-Madueke who is not part of the trial.
    Besides, the judge said the application was belated.
    He held: “Assuming all is in order, this cannot be the right time to make such an application when witnesses have been called and a number of exhibits have been tendered.
    “The prosecution has even given a hint to the court that it’ll soon close its case. To roll the case back will definitely be tormenting for both the prosecution and the defence, and it will run contrary to the new spirit of speedy dispensation of criminal matters in particular.
    “Therefore, I have no option than to agree that the application is misconceived from the onset. I’ll refrain from calling it an abuse of court process. But I’ll not hesitate to call it a misuse of court process..
    “I say this because my curiosity has been aroused. Why did the applicant wait all this while before she came up with this bizarre application?”
    After dismissing the application, Justice Aikawa, in another ruling, admitted in evidence an electronic e-mail in which Mrs Alison-Madueke gave instructions on how the money was to be shared. The email contained a list of persons to be given the money.
    Afterwards, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo continued with the examination of the second prosecution witness, EFCC’s Senior Detective Superintendent, Usman Zakari.
    The witness said Belgore and Suleiman’s names were in the list and that they received N450million, which they also signed for.
    He said there was no connection between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the fund that the defendants collected.
    “I did not recover any cheque issued by the PDP to the first and second defendants,” Zakari said.
    The witness said Belgore made a cash payment of N50million to one Sherif Shagaya without going through a financial institution.
    “The first defendant made several cash payments to various individuals without going through a financial institution,” he said.
    For instance, he said N61 million was paid to a representative from Kwara North; N102 million to some from Kwara Central, and N87 million to someone from Kwara South.
    EFCC had also tendered a document entitled Payment for Security and Transportation (Exhibit 7).
    Among security agencies in Kwara who allegedly got part of the money include: the Military, N50million, Civil Defence, N20million, Director of State Security Services and his men, N2.5million, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), N10million, INEC Administrative Secretary, N5million, Resident Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), N1million, among others.
    Total amount disbursed to security agencies amounted to N126.5million. Justice Aikawa adjourned till November 13 and 14 for continuation of trial.
  • Court dismisses Diezani’s bid for trial in Nigeria

    Court dismisses Diezani’s bid for trial in Nigeria

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed an application by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke seeking to be tried in Nigeria.
    Ruling on the application, Justice Rilwan Aikawa said it was misconceived.
    He agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) that the application was a bid by the former Minister to escape justice in the United Kingdom.
    Justice Aikawa said the Attorney-General of the Federation has the exclusive right to decide who to bring a charge against.
    “Why did she wait all this while before she came up with this bizarre application?
    “I find this application as lacking in merit and it is hereby dismissed,” the judge held.
    He added that he would not allow his court to be misused, adding that Mrs Alison-Madueke “was crying wolf where there was none”.
    The EFCC urged Court not to order Mrs Alison-Madueke from the United Kingdom to Nigeria.
    The anti-graft agency described Diezani’s prayer to be brought back to Nigeria as a ploy to escape justice in the UK, where, according to the EFCC, she is being investigated for several financial crimes by the Metropolitan Police.
    According to the EFCC, investigation by the Metropolitan Police in Diezani’s case had reached an advanced stage and her prosecution in the UK was imminent.
    It, therefore, said it would not be in the interest of justice to grant Diezani’s application seeking to return to Nigeria.
    The EFCC said this in a counter-affidavit it filed in opposition to Diezani’s application before Justice Rilwan Aikawa, wherein she is seeking an order compelling the Attorney General of the Federation to facilitate her return to Nigeria.
    In the said application, which she filed through her lawyer, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, Diezani said she wished to appear before the Federal High Court in Lagos to defend a criminal charge, bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her name was mentioned.
  • Court declines Diezani’s request for inclusion in Omokore’s trial

    Court declines Diezani’s request for inclusion in Omokore’s trial

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday refused the request by former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke to be included in the trial of businessman, JIde Omokore and five other persons accused of $1.6bn crude oil fraud.

    Delivering judgment in the ex-minister’s application, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba said her request, if granted would alter the progress made in the ongoing trial of Omokore and others.

    The judge struck out count eight of the nine-count charge. Alison-Madueke’s name featured conspicuously in the charge.

    Justice Dimgba said the prosecution was at liberty to file a separate charge, reflecting Alison Madueke as a defendant to enable her participate in the proceedings and defend herself.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in July last year, filed the nine-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/121/2016 against Omokore and others.

    The Commission alleged that the accused persons engaged in criminal diversion of about $1.6bn said to be part of proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government.

    Other defendants in the case are – former Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NNPC), Victor Briggs; a former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the NNPC, Abiye Membere; a former Manager, Planning and Commercial Department of NNPC, David Mbanefo and two companies – Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited.

     

  • EFCC seeks final seizure of Aluko’s 19 assets

    EFCC seeks final seizure of Aluko’s 19 assets

    ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives are searching for a Bombardier jet believed to have been bought with cash from the  $1.5 billion oil slush funds by some business associates of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    It was learnt that the jet was flown out of the country a few days before President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration in 2015.

    The anti-graft agency has intensified efforts to secure the permanent forfeiture of 19 choice assets traced to Mr. Kola Aluko, one of the four business associates of the ex-minister.

    The 19 assets have been located by the EFCC in Canada, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (U.S.) and Switzerland.

    Top on the list of the assets is a Euro63m Galactica Star (YACHT) with the value now put at about Euro82 million.

    The EFCC detectives are believed to be probing whether the aircraft has been sold or its ownership changed to make it difficult to trace it.

    The EFCC uncovered how the jet was paid for by Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s associates through the $1.5 billion slush oil account in Switzerland.

    A top EFCC source said: “So far, investigation confirmed that a bombardier jet was bought with part of the $1.5 billion oil cash by one of the business associates of the ex-minister.

    “We have been unable to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft. We have the initial identity of the aircraft, but it has been difficult to trace.

    “Our detectives are suspecting a likely change of the identity of the jet or possible sale of the plane.

    “We are trying to track down the movement log of the plane, including the possibility of deceptive entry of its last destination.”

    The source added: “We are networking with all relevant international agencies to locate the aircraft wherever it is in any part of the globe.”

    Asked if the ‘missing bombardier jet’ has any link with the controversial N1.5 billion used to hire Challenger 850(bombardier) C-G jet during the tenure of the ex-minister, the source added: “We will probe this clue after locating the aircraft and interacting with some of the business associates.”

    The ex-minister was implicated in 2014 for allegedly engaging a private Challenger jet to cope with her “tight schedule”.

    The monthly cost of the hired bombardier jet was put at N130 million but the total expenditure was put at about N10 billion.

    The attempt to probe the deal by the House of Representatives was stopped by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed said the House did not follow due process in summoning the ex-minister.

    The EFCC source said plans were at an advanced stage to secure permanent forfeiture of 19 assets traced to Aluko.

    A Federal High Court in Lagos had on June 24, 2016 invoked the Interim Forfeiture Order allowing the EFCC Establishment Act to seize the properties.

    The affected assets are mostly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland and the United States (U.S.).

    They are a plot of land in Mont Tremblant (Canada) and some houses in the United Arab Emirates, including 4100 Le Reve Dubai Maria, Dubai; Unit 1402, PS 14th Floor located at Metro TECOM near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai; Unit 712, ES 7th Floor located at First Central, Off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM, Al-Barsha 3 Dubai; and Unit 512, 5th Floor located at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai AE-AJ.

    Those in Switzerland are at Colina D’Oro Montagnola, Switzerland; Via Magio 6 Montagnola 6926 Switzerland; and Vila Floridiana via Cantonale 17, 6948 Porza Lugano, Switzerland

    Others located in the United States and the United Kingdom are: 755 Sarbonne Road, Los Angeles, California 90077USA; 952 North Alpine Drive Beverly Hills, California 80210 USA; 157 West 57th Street New York 10028, USA; 1049 Fifth Avenue New York 10028, USA; 815 Cimal Del Mundo Road Santa Barbara, California 93108, USA; 1948 Tollis Avenue Santa Barbara California 93108; 1952 Tollis Avenue Santa Barbara California 93108, USA; 807 Cimal Del Mundo Road Santa Barbara, California 93108, USA; 32 Grove End Road, London NW8 9LI UK; and Flat D.03.01 One Hyde Park 100 Knight Bridge SW1X 7U, UK.

    Capping the list is the €63 million Galactica Star, which the U.S. Department of Justice claimed that the ex-minister had warned Aluko against buying.

    Giving the extent of the process of the application for the final forfeiture order of Aluko’s 19 assets, an EFCC source said: “The EFCC has intensified efforts to secure the permanent forfeiture of properties and other assets linked to Aluko, an accomplice to former petroleum resources minister in the mega scam that rocked the Nigeria oil industry during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “A Nigerian court had on June 24, 2016 ordered the temporary forfeiture of most of the assets, which are located in the U.S.  and Switzerland.

    “The Nigerian anti-graft agency has opened communication with the United States and Swiss authorities with a view to getting the interim forfeiture order given in Suit No. FHN/ABJ/CS/228/16 registered for enforcement.

    “I think Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) letters will be sent as soon as the office of the Attorney General of the Federation gives the approval.

    “An EFCC team is due in the United States and Switzerland to harmonise the details of the MLAT letter.”