The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it
has discovered a fresh sum of $72.87 million allegedly linked to Diezani
Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources.
The development was contained in a statement issued by the
anti-graft agency on Wednesday.
According to the commission, the amount was discovered in a
Fidelity Bank account and Nnamdi Okonkwo, a former managing director of the
bank, has been arrested over the development.
“As part of the ongoing investigations into the former
Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a former Managing Director of
Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, allegedly over an additional $72,
870,000million still in the coffers of the bank,” the statement reads.
“Okonkwo, who is
currently the Chairman of First Bank Holding, alongside others, had earlier
been grilled over a sum of $153million and $115million by the Commission.
“While all the $153 million was recovered by the EFCC, the
cases involving $115million, as it relates with the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, bribery matter, are in various courts.
“Okonkwo and Charles Onyedibe are currently being detained
by the EFCC over the whereabouts of the new $72.8m.”
Diezani, who had fled the county shortly before former
President Goodluck Jonathan handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015,
is alleged to have stolen $2.5 billion from the Nigerian government while she
was minister.
She has, however, denied the allegation, while the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has since commenced a process to
extradite her.
The federal government had gained forfeiture of Diezani’s
properties located in Banana Island Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, including
18 flats and six penthouses.
Other items forfeited by the minister include 125 wedding
gowns, 13 small gowns, 41 waist trainers, 73 hard flowers, 11 suits, 11
invisible bras, 73 veils, 30 braziers, two standing fans, 17 magic skirts, six
blankets, one table blanket and 64 pairs of shoes.
Meanwhile, a screening process for independent valuers
expected to manage the sale of the assets permanently forfeited by
Alison-Madueke has been initiated by the federal government.
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