ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized a mansion worth N3.58bn in Asokoro in Abuja allegedly belonging to the
former Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, disclosed this during his interview
with Al- Jazeera Television, a
Qatar-based news network on Monday, adding that the
items seized alongside the house included jewellery, furniture, and a bulletproof gym worth about $2m.
However, he explained that the house was part of the $10bn in cash and assets that had been
seized by the Federal Government in the
last one year nut denied the allegations that the anti-graft agency is
witch-hunting political opponents of the present administration of President
Muhammadu buhari.
“We have been able to take on a lot of big shots that were hitherto untouchable
in the three arms of the military,
political class. We have recorded 164 convictions
in just one year.
“On political victimization; No, not my EFCC; not the EFCC of today. We
are not politicized. If there is an allegation against anybody, we will go after them,”
he said.
It will be recalled that EFCC had recently seized a wristwatch worth £1.4m
from Omokore’s wife, while a wristwatch worth £600,000 was seized from the former Petroleum
Minister, Diezani.
The wristwatches were said to have been seized during various raids on houses
of some suspects
on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, and other places.
on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, and other places.
Explaining the powers vested in the Commission to take such actions, the
spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Monday dismissed the accusation that the agency was operating dictatorially saying the commission had the constitutional right to seize properties believed to have been acquired with stolen public funds.
spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Monday dismissed the accusation that the agency was operating dictatorially saying the commission had the constitutional right to seize properties believed to have been acquired with stolen public funds.
“In recent times, a lot of interest has been generated by the action of the
commission in
freezing the accounts of suspects that were investigated or are currently being investigated.
freezing the accounts of suspects that were investigated or are currently being investigated.
“In order to prevent misinformation, it is imperative to explain the reason behind the
commission’s
actions in this regard. Freezing of accounts suspected of being used for the commission of financial crimes is a mandatory investigative step backed by law.
actions in this regard. Freezing of accounts suspected of being used for the commission of financial crimes is a mandatory investigative step backed by law.
“Indeed, Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act 2004 empowers the Commission to
freeze any account
suspected of being used for financial crimes.
suspected of being used for financial crimes.
“The section stipulates that ‘the chairman of the commission or any officer
authorised by him may,
if satisfied that the money in the account of a person is made through the commission of an offence under this Act or any enactment specified under Section 6(2) (a)-(f) of this Act, apply to the court exparte for power to issue or instruct a bank examiner or such other appropriate authority to
freeze the account”, he said.
if satisfied that the money in the account of a person is made through the commission of an offence under this Act or any enactment specified under Section 6(2) (a)-(f) of this Act, apply to the court exparte for power to issue or instruct a bank examiner or such other appropriate authority to
freeze the account”, he said.
He argued that the aim of these provisions was to ensure that the commission
safeguarded suspected proceeds of crime
pending the completion of its
investigation.
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