EFCC Asks Court to Disregard Diezani’s UK Acquittal in Suit Challenging Asset Forfeiture

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked a federal high court in Abuja to disregard evidence of Diezani Alison-Madueke’s acquittal by a UK court in a suit challenging the forfeiture of her assets.

The commission made the request in a further counter-affidavit filed in opposition to the former petroleum minister’s application to present evidence of her acquittal by the Southwark Crown Court, London.

Diezani was acquitted on June 17, 2026, of criminal allegations of bribery brought against her in the UK.

In her suit, Diezani is challenging, among other things, an EFCC public notice for the auction and sale of properties and personal effects which she says affect her proprietary rights.

She had asked the federal high court to allow her to introduce the UK acquittal as a subsequent development relevant to her case.

But in the counter-affidavit filed on October 5, Oyakhilome Ekienabor, a litigation officer in the law firm of Mofesomo Oyetibo, EFCC counsel, said the acquittal was irrelevant to the issues before the court.

Ekienabor said the proceedings before the Southwark crown court were not being prosecuted before a Nigerian court and had no bearing on the substantive suit.

“The proceedings before the Southwark Crown Court, London, United Kingdom, and the purported acquittal of the applicant therein, are in respect of a proceeding that is not being prosecuted before any Nigerian court and have nothing to do with the substantive suit before this honourable court,” the affidavit reads.

Ekienabor also argued that the forfeiture order related only to jewellery and did not extend to other assets or properties.

“The order for forfeiture relates exclusively to items of jewellery and does not extend to any other category of assets or properties,” he said.

The EFCC further argued that Diezani’s supplementary affidavit introduced irrelevant facts and sought to divert the court’s attention from the issues in the suit.

The commission therefore asked the court to discountenance the supplementary affidavit insofar as it seeks to introduce evidence of the UK acquittal.

Diezani had argued that the acquittal was a material development that occurred after she filed her earlier court processes.

Mike Ozekhome, her counsel, said the development was relevant to issues including the absence of a conviction, fair hearing, due process and the propriety of depriving her of property.

He said Diezani was not asking the Nigerian court to sit on appeal over the UK decision or treat it as automatically conclusive of the Nigerian proceedings, but to consider it as a subsequent material fact in determining the suit.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, Queen-Ubokutom Uwe, who appeared for Diezani, informed the court that the EFCC had served them with its further counter-affidavit shortly before the hearing.

Paul Mgbeoma, counsel for the EFCC, said he was ready to proceed with the matter.

Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, subsequently adjourned the case until November 11 for hearing of the motions.