A Federal High Court Judge has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigerian Police Force to produce former petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke within 72 hours.
Justice Valentine Ashi of the Abuja High Court, sitting in Apo, said on Tuesday that the security agencies must apprehend Alison-Madueke within 72 hours.
The former minister who has been resident in London since leaving office is being investigated by the EFCC.
The order was made, following a motion ex parte moved by counsel to the EFCC, Msuur Denga, praying for an order of the court, to issue a warrant of arrest against Madueke, to enable the Commission apprehend and arraign her for alleged financial crimes in Nigeria.
The crime body had on December 3, filed an application for warrant of arrest, condition precedent for Deziani’s extradition protocol to bring her back home to face trail.
It argued that Diezani left the country while investigations into the alleged fraud were ongoing.
Granting the prayer of the commission, Justice Ashi, ruled: “The Inspector General of Police, the Chairman of the EFCC, the Attorney General, the Department of State Services, are hereby ordered in the name of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to apprehend and arrest the first defendant and produce her before this court for further directives within 72 hours.”
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The EFCC investigated the former minister along with Jide Omokore, a former Chairman, Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, following a petition dated October 2, 2013, from Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, bordering on money laundering and official corruption.
Investigations into the petition revealed that Madueke as supervising minister of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was found to have engaged in illicit and monumental fraudulent dealings in oil transactions, which she entered into on behalf of the Federal Government.
Madueke and Omokore are also alleged to have accepted and given gifts in properties located at Penthouse 22, Block B, Admiralty Estate, Ikoyi, and Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, Banana Island, Lagos. They are to be arraigned on February 25, 2019 on a five-count charge for the offences, which are contrary to Sections 26(1) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
