The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) suspects it has
uncovered a sprawling estate in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State that may belong
to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
It was discovered by operatives of the anti-graft agency in the course
of their investigation of public funds allegedly stolen by the former
minister.
The investigators conducted a search on some of the houses on the estate.
Acting Chairman of the EFCC , Mr. Ibrahim Magu has already left Nigeria for London in connection
with the investigation of the ex-minister and some upscale properties traced to her at home and abroad.
About five bank chiefs are likely to face trial over the $153million
allegedly withdrawn by the ex-minister from the accounts of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation( NNPC) in December 2014.
The Nation gathered that the EFCC team, acting on intelligence,
uncovered the sprawling estate which is coded as BGIS/OK/02/16/310.
It is located on Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Street, off Goodluck Jonathan Road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
A source familiar with the investigation said:
“Following our obtaining a court order to recover some assets belonging
to Diezani, we were able to gather intelligence which led to the
location of the hidden estate in question in Bayelsa State.
“Our operatives also conducted searches in some houses on the estate based on tip off on the ex-minister.
“We will follow due process in invoking the relevant laws on asset forfeiture on all the mansions in the estate.”
It was also gathered yesterday that about five bank chiefs may face
trial in connection with looted funds traced to ex-Minister Diezani.
A source told The Nation yesterday, four banks have been fingered in how Diezani laundered $153,310,000.
The EFCC told a Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday that the huge cash
was wired from NNPC accounts to Fidelity Bank before it was given to
Sterling Bank , Access Bank Plc, First Bank Plc and Fidelity Bank Plc
for safe keeping.
EFCC said the banks “aided and abetted the massive fraud perpetrated by the minister.”
Access Bank is holding $5million out of the total sum.
The breakdown of how the loot was hidden is as follows:
- Access Bank ($5million);
- Sterling Bank (N23, 446, 300,000);
- and First Bank (N9,080,000,000).
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