Former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani
Alison-Madueke is likely to lose some United States properties traced to her.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is probing Mrs
Alison-Madueke for over $10 billion slush funds. It has initiated a process for
the seizure of the assets – in line with United States laws.
EFCC
Chairman Ibrahim Magu has just returned from the United States where he
discussed with the authorities how to attach the properties, The Nation learnt yesterday.
In
the last one year, the EFCC has traced assets and items worth about $10billion
to Mrs. Alison-Madueke and her business associates, Mr. Kola Aluko and Chief
Jide Omokore.
Some of the assets include an $18million peoperty
(over N6.3billion at N350 exchange rate) in Abuja.
A
top EFCC source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have located some assets
allegedly owned by Diezani and some of her business associates in the United
States. We are already collaborating with the US Government to attach these
assets.
“In
fact, the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, spent about one and a half weeks in
the US to work with the relevant agencies to trace Diezani’s properties, some
of which are believed to have been secured through business fronts like Kola
Aluko.
“We
have submitted relevant documents to the US authorities in order to facilitate
the seizure of the assets.”
Responding
to a question, the source added: “Some of these properties were acquired
through some business fronts like Aluko and Omokore.
“We
even have a in which houses on a street in Switzerland have been traced to an
associate of Diezani.”
The
EFCC is working with anti-graft agencies in Britain and the United States.
-TheNation
No comments:
Post a Comment