The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has obtained an interim of forfeiture order to seize nine Dubai properties estimated at $450,000-$700,000each belonging to a former managing director of the petroleum products marketing company, Mr Haruka Momoh.
The commission had started talks with the United Arab Emirates, over the seizure of the properties which are located at the highbrow areas of marina, Sheikh Zayed Road, Tecom and sports city, home of the richest personalities in the world.
Momoh has been linked to former minister of Petroleum, Diezani Madueke, over fraudulent transactions, wherein it was alleged they gave dubious transactions to the tune of $2.4bn to some oil firms under the controversial crude oil swamp.
The properties listed are as follows: Unit 1402 PS, 14th Floor, located at Metro Central, Tecom, near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai, UAE; Unit 712 ES, 7th Floor, located at First Central, off Sheikh Zayed, Tecom, Al Barsha 3 Dubai, UAE; and Unit 512, 5th Floor, located at First Group, Marina Hotels, Al Seba Street, Plot 394-426 Dubai AE-AJ, UAE.
Other properties traced to Momoh include Unit 503 1 Bedroom Heritage, 5th Floor, located at First Central, Dubai Media City, Tecom, off Sheikh Zayed Tecom, Al Barsha 3, Dubai, UAE; Unit 1910 ES Heritage, 19th Floor, located at First Central, Dubai Media City, Tecom, off Sheikh Zayed Tecom; Unit 2507 Dubai Sports City; Unit 314 Dubai Sports City; and Unit 1002, Tecom Barsha 125616.
The EFCC stated that it would apply for the seizure through the office of the Attorney General of the federation, as the mutual agreements signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, are: Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters, Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and an Extradition Treaty.
The anti-graft agency added, “We have informed the UAE authorities that from our investigation, we believe Momoh acquired those properties through corrupt means. The whole process is still ongoing but with the MLAT, signed by President Buhari, it has made work a lot easier for us.
“The AGF is expected to write the UAE for the forfeiture of the properties after which they would be sold off and the proceeds returned to Nigeria.”
According to the EFCC, before the Federal Government signed the treaty, the UAE law prevented foreign officials from having access to properties in the country without the express permission of its owner.
“However, with the new treaty, the UAE authorities are more cooperative and would readily give information of properties from their Land Registry System,” he said.
The accused, Diezani and Momoh had been summoned in connection with the fraudulent transaction of crude oil exchange worth $24bn in exchange for refined oil between Duke oil and Trafigura between 2011-2014.
The summons wwasissued after three former Group Managing Directors of the NNPC, Mr. Austin Oniwon, Mr. Andrew Yakubu and Mr. Joseph Dawha, had informed the committee that Diezani “approved” the contracts without signing any valid agreements with the firms.