On Wednesday, the Federal High Court fixed May 17 for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to report how it has complied with the court order in the trial of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu fixed the date following the absence of the EFCC’s lawyer, Farouk Abdullah, in court.

The matter, earlier fixed for report or arraignment of the ex-minister, could not proceed as neither Mr. Abdullah nor Ms. Alison-Madueke was in court.

When the matter was called, no lawyer appeared for the prosecution.

Ms. Ojukwu, who fixed May 17 for the report on EFCC’s compliance with the court order, directed the court registrar to issue the prosecution counsel with the next hearing notice.

On December 3, 2020, the court had adjourned the matter until March 3 following the inability of the EFCC to fully comply with its orders in the trial of the former petrol minister.

The judge fixed the date after Mr. Abdullah prayed the court for more time to enable the agency to ensure full compliance with the court orders.

“The court made some orders in the last date that this matter came up. The prosecution has taken steps to ensure that the orders are complied with; that has not come to fruition but steps have been taken.

“In view of this, may I humbly apply that this matter be adjourned to enable the prosecution to comply fully with the order of the court,” Mr. Abdullah had said.

On October 28, 2020, the judge had refused to grant the EFCC’s application seeking the court’s order on the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Ms. Alison-Madueke.

She held that an affidavit with evidence supporting proof that the earlier court summon granted the agency had failed in the extradition of Diezani must be filed by the commission before another request could be made.

Ms. Ojukwu noted that the EFCC had informed the court that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice hinted that the arrest warrant was needed to further give the international police the impetus to bring the defendant to Nigeria to answer to charges against her.

The judge, however, said it would give the agency a room to put its house in order in the trial of the ex-minister because court orders were not made in vain.

Mr. Abdullah had, in an application, urged the court to issue an arrest warrant against Ms. Alison-Madueke, who is believed to be in the UK, to enable law enforcement agencies and the INTERPOL to arrest her anywhere she is sighted and be brought before the court to answer to the allegation made against her.

He said since the summon had not achieved the desired result, the need for a warrant of arrest cannot be over-emphasised.

On July 24, 2020, the court had ordered the former minister to appear before it and answer to the money laundering charge filed against her by the EFCC.

The judge gave the ruling in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/208/2018 brought by Mr. Abdullah.

The EFCC had accused the former minister of fleeing the country for the UK to escape justice, among others.