EFCC Denies Disobeying Court Order Over Diezani-Linked Abuja Property
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied media reports suggesting it disobeyed a court order directing its operatives to vacate a property located at House 6, Aso Drive, Asokoro, Abuja.
In a statement posted on its official X account on Monday, the EFCC described the reports as misrepresentations of facts and stressed that it remains committed to upholding the rule of law.
The commission said it obtained a court order for possession of the property on March 27, 2025, from Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The EFCC said the court granted the order after it submitted that the property was a proceed of unlawful activity by former Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and had been forfeited to the Federal Government.
The EFCC clarified that its ex-parte application, which led to the March 27 possession order, did not misrepresent any material facts. It noted that the tenant currently occupying the property, Chief Ikechi Emenike, was paying rent under an agreement with Mrs. Alison-Madueke while the property was still under interim forfeiture.
“It is untrue that he had been paying rent to the EFCC for over 10 years,” the commission said. It added that the contempt proceedings involving Emenike in another court had no bearing on the ruling that granted the EFCC possession of the property.
The EFCC also rejected the claim that Emenike had been granted a right of first refusal to purchase the property outright. Referring to Justice Liman’s April 18, 2024 judgment, the commission said the court had stated Emenike could exercise such a right only when the defendant—in this case, the EFCC—announced an intention to dispose of the property, and at market value based on an independent valuation.
“Till date, the Commission has not announced or indicated any readiness for the disposal of the property. Emenike’s right of first refusal can, therefore, not hold any water,” the statement read.
The commission further stated that there is no existing contempt order against its Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, or its counsel, Mr. Francis Usani, as no such court order has been served on them.
It also noted that a Stay of Execution concerning the court’s June 16, 2025 order is currently pending.
“The EFCC and its Chief Executive are law-abiding citizens,” the statement added.
