Hundreds of jewelry including bangles, earrings, and wristwatches allegedly belonging to a former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, are among the items temporarily forfeited to the Nigerian government. The jewelry was worth about $40million.
The forfeiture was ordered by a Federal High Court, Lagos on Friday following an application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The items were recovered by the anti-graft body in the premises of the former petroleum minister.
In the application, the EFCC said the expensive items, comprising wristwatches, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings and more, were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities of the former minister.
The temporarily forfeited items include over 419 bangles, 315 rings, 304 earrings, 189 wristwatches, 267 necklaces, and a customised gold iPhone.
The EFCC sought an interim order forfeiting the items to the federal government because they are “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with and or represent proceeds of the respondent’s unlawful activities.”
According to EFCC, the former minister’s known and provable lawful income was far less than the value of the seized jewelry.
The commission also sought an order directing the publication in any national newspaper, the interim order for Alison-Madueke or anyone interested in the properties to appear before the court within 14 days.
She is believed to be in the UK where she is also being investigated for money laundering.
Mrs Alison-Madueke has forfeited several properties linked to her to the federal government since the EFCC commenced investigations into her activities as petroleum minister.