The Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 29 for the hearing of the EFCC’s preliminary objection in a suit filed by former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who seeks to reclaim her forfeited assets.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after the EFCC’s lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, regularized the processes in the suit. The judge also scheduled the hearing of the substantive suit. Oyetibo informed the court that the EFCC had some housekeeping applications to address before proceeding with the matter.
Counsel for Diezani, Godwin Iyinbor, stated that although the matter was listed for hearing, they were ready to proceed, noting that the EFCC had housekeeping applications to address.
Oyetibo also presented the EFCC’s preliminary objection, filed on March 27, asking the court to strike out the suit due to a lack of jurisdiction, claiming that Diezani failed to serve a pre-action notice as required by law.
Diezani’s lawyer confirmed receiving the objection and requested seven days to respond, while also seeking costs for the EFCC’s delay in filing. Justice Ekwo warned that any party absent from the hearing on May 29 would have their processes deemed as adopted and that their counsel could face penalties.
