The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday adjourned proceedings until May 29 to hear the preliminary objection of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a suit filed by former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, seeking to reclaim her forfeited assets.

The EFCC, in its preliminary objection dated and filed on March 27 by Tayo Oyetibo, requested the court to strike out the former minister’s suit for lack of jurisdiction.

The anti-corruption agency argued that AlisonMadueke had failed to serve a pre-action notice on the EFCC prior to initiating the suit, as required by law. Consequently, the EFCC claimed the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Meanwhile, Alison-Madueke, in an amended suit filed by her lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), sought an order to set aside the EFCC’s public notice, which formed the basis of a public auction of her assets.

The former minister named the EFCC as the sole respondent in her originating motion, marked FHC/ ABJ/CS/21/2023. In her suit, she asked the court to order the EFCC to retrieve her seized assets from those to whom they were sold.