Nigeria to seize $40 mln of jewellery, gold iPhone from ex-minister

former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke
former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke

A Nigerian court has ordered the imminent seizure of $40 million worth of jewellery and a customised gold iPhone belonging to former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, the country's anti-graft agency said on Friday.

The items,including hundreds of bangles, rings, earrings, necklaces and watches, werefound at a property owned by Alison-Madueke, the Economic and Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC) said in a statement.

Alison-Madueke, whoran the petroleum ministry from 2011 to 2015, was charged by the EFCC inabsentia with money laundering in 2017. Her whereabouts are unknown, and aLondon-based lawyer who has represented her did not immediately respond to arequest for comment.

The order gives theEFCC 14 days to print the charges in any national newspaper and allow for heror "anyone interested in the items" to show why they should not bepermanently forfeited to the federal government.

In 2017, a courtallowed the government to permanently seize a $37.5 million apartment block sheowned in an upscale Lagos neighbourhood. 

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