It appears the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has finally set in motion the legal process that will enable it freeze all local and foreign assets of Jide Omokore and Kola Aluko, allies of former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke and ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.
The two are probed in connection with a chain of multi-billion dollar petrol import and crude export suspicious transactions.
Mr. Omokore is the chairman of Atlantic Energy Concept Nigerian Limited (AEDC) and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited (AEBD). Both companies are named the first and second defendants in the suit filed by the government.
It is alleged that Atlantic Energy Limited received multibillion dollar worth of public assets without due process under the Jonathan administration in 2011. Curiously the company was created less than a year before and had not produced a droplet of oil, yet it was awarded controlling stakes in two lucrative oil blocks – OML 30 and 34 – for just over $50 million each.
The contract, which was signed by the immediate past minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, conceded to Atlantic Energy Limited a controlling 55 percent stake in the oil block.
But Shell, which owned the remaining 45 per cent stake, paid $1.3 billion for a single field after an open and competitive bidding process.
The Federal Government, and co-plaintiffs, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), have instituted a motion before a Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking a mareva injunction, directing 19 Nigerian banks, eight foreign banks and eight local and international firms to freeze the funds and assets they hold on behalf of Omokore, Aluko, AEDC, and AEDB.
The government also asks for an order to freeze several local and international luxury properties owned by the defendants, including the Galatica Star, a $50 million “Super yatch” belonging to Mr. Aluko, plus three private jets.
In the ex-parte motion , Oladipo Okpeseyi, lead counsel to the Federal Government, asked the court to restrain the defendants from “giving any sale or transfer instruction, demanding, accepting or receiving any payment or sale or dividend on the shares owned by the defendants,” with respect to any of the eight local and international companies.
The companies include, Mia Hotels Limited, First Motors Limited, V.I Petrochemical, Evergreen Realty and Management, Ox Trade Limited, De First Union Integrated Services, Amity Plus Limited, and Seven Energy International Limited.
The government also asked the court for an order to “confiscate within seven days all sums of money and negotiable instruments of credit of the defendants domestic accounts held in 19 domestic banks.” The government estimates the total sum held by the defendant to be $1.76 billion.
The plaintiffs asked the court for an order to prohibit sale or mortgage on the following properties in Nigeria and overseas: Houses on 755 Sarbonne Road, Los Angeles, 952 North Alphine Drive, Los Angeles, 815 Cima Del Mondo, Los Angeles, 1049 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1948 and 1952 Tollis Avenue, Santa Barbara, 157 West 57thStreet, New York, and 4100 Le Reve Dubai.
Other Houses include, Avenue Towers, Lagos, Colina D’Oro Montagnola, Switzerland, Block A consisting of 26 Flats at No 46, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Mason apartments situated at No6 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Marion Apartment located at 4 and 5 Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi, 33A Cooper Road Ikoyi, Lagos, 8 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Griove End Road, London, Land, 807 Cima Del Mundo, Mont Tremblant, Canada.
Other assets the government is asking for a permission to seize are the Galatica Star yatch, a 20-year Berth Lease in Barcelona, Watch collection, a collection of 58 vehicles, a Global Express S5-GMG jet, a Bombadier Global 600 9H-OPE, Bombardier.
However, counsel for the defendants, Tokunbo Jaiye-Agoro, told the trial judge, Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, that they needed time to respond, when the case was mentioned in court. Saying that they were only served the motion in court. He requested an adjournment and the judge adjourned the case to the 29 June, 2016 to enable the counsels of the defence respond to the motion.
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