WE HAVE TRACED $487.5M, N47.2BN IN CASH AND PROPERTIES TO MRS DIEZANI ALISON-MADUEKE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had so far, through painstaking investigations by its operatives, traced N47.2bn and $487.5m in cash and properties to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

These, the anti-graft agency said, were apart from "boxes of gold, silver and diamond jewellery, worth several million British pounds sterling," discovered during a search of Diezani's palatial residences in Abuja.

The EFCC said it discovered several of Diezani's landed properties scattered all over Lagos and other parts of the country in the course of its investigations, adding that it was doubtful if the former minister declared her true assets as required of public officials.

This was contained in an article entitled, "Diezani Alison-Madueke: What an appetite," jointly authored by two officers in the EFCC's Public Affairs Directorate, Tony Orilade and Aishah Gambari, and which was made available to The PUNCH.

The anti-graft agency recalled that just on Monday Diezani's $37.5m mansion on Banana Island, Lagos, was forfeited to the Federal Government.

It said Diezani displayed uncommon temerity in illegal acquisition, when she bought a block of six units serviced apartments at Number 135 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, "just a few hundred metres away from the EFCC zonal operations hub. The apartment has a standby power generating set, sporting facilities, play ground and a water treatment plant. The property was bought at the rate of N800m on January 6, 2012."

The anti-graft agency stated that it discovered other Diezani's properties such as a 21-mixed housing units of eight four-bedroomed apartments, two penthouse apartments of three bedrooms at No. 7, Thurnburn Street and 5, Raymond Street, Yaba, Lagos.

It said, "The Raymond Street property is made up of two en-suite two-bedroomed apartments and one four-bedroomed apartment.

"The Yaba, Lagos properties, which dug a deep hole of an eye-popping N1bn were paid for on May 30, 2012. The same day Alison-Madueke splashed N900m on a Port Harcourt estate.

"In Lekki Phase One, an upscale neighbourhood of Lagos, operatives found a twin four-bedroomed duplex. The duplex is located on Plot 33, Block 112, Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, with an estimated value of over N200m.

"Also in Lagos, a large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos has also been traced to the former Petroleum Resources Minister. The land, which is located in Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki peninsular, Lagos and currently being utilised as a dumping site, was bought on February 16, 2012, for N135m."

"Plot 8, Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, another property traced to Alison-Madueke, is a penthouse on the 11th Floor in the Block B Wing of the building. It was bought for N12m on December 20, 2011.

"On Plot 10, Frederick Chiluba Close, in the serene, upscale Asokoro district of Abuja, lies a tastefully-built and finished duplex. In the compound, there are also a Guest Chalet, Boys' Quarters, an elegant swimming pool, fully-equipped sports gym and a host of other amenities. Investigators have discovered that the property was acquired by the ex-minister in December, 2009, at the cost of N400m but it was never declared in any of the asset declaration forms filed by Alison-Madueke.

"Also linked to the former Minister in Abuja is a mini estate at Mabushi, Abuja. The estate located on Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi Gardens Estate, houses 13 three-bedroomed terrace houses, each with one bedroom en-suite maid's quarters. It was purchased on April 2, 2012 at the princely sum of N650m.

"In Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja, Alison-Madueke reportedly acquired a six-bedroomed en-suite apartment made up of three large living rooms, two-bedroomed guest chalets, two-bedroomed Boys Quarters, two lock-up garages and a car park. It was bought on July 20, 2011 for N80m."