A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of jewellery valued at about $40m, belonging to Former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke, to the Federal Government.

The EFCC had seized the items comprising wristwatches, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings, as well as a gold iPhone from a premises belonging to the former minister.

In the application, the EFCC said it believes that the pieces of jewellery were obtained with proceeds of unlawful activities by the former Minister.

At the court on Friday, Nicholas Oweibo, a judge, ordered the temporary seizure of the items following an ex parte application moved by Rotimi Oyedepo, lawyer for the EFCC.

He had said the application, which had Alison-Madueke as the only defendant, was filed in pursuant to section 17 of the advance fee fraud and other related offences act no. 14, 2006.

According to the schedule attached to the application, some of the 1,897 pieces of jewellery, categorised into 33 sets, are “419 bangles; 315 rings; 304 earrings; 267 necklaces; 189 wristwatches; 174 necklaces and earrings; 78 bracelets; 77 brooches; and 74 pendants.”

The anti-graft commission said it found and recovered the items in the premises of Alison-Madueke, adding that it suspected that the former minister acquired them with “proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Oweibo ordered EFCC to publish the forfeiture order in a national newspaper “for the respondent or anyone who is interested in the property sought to be forfeited to appear before this honourable court to show cause within 14 days why a final forfeiture order of the said properties should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The Commission also stated that Mrs Allison-Madueke’s known and provable lawful income is far less than the value of the jewellery sought to be forfeited.

The court then adjourned further proceedings till August 13