London Trial: Allegations of Bribery Against Former Nigerian Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke

Spread the love

British prosecutors on Tuesday alleged that former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, lived a “life of luxury” funded by bribes received while she held public office.

Gossip News Now reports that Alison-Madueke, 65, who was the first woman to serve as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London on the opening day of her highly anticipated trial.

The former minister faces multiple counts of bribery allegedly committed between 2011 and 2015, during her tenure as Nigeria’s petroleum minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Prosecutors told the court that individuals seeking “lucrative oil and gas contracts” with Nigeria’s state-owned oil companies offered Alison-Madueke “substantial financial or other advantages.”

They added, “As a minister, she should not have accepted benefits from those engaged in, no doubt, extremely profitable business with government-owned oil and gas entities.”

The prosecution alleges that Alison-Madueke received benefits from people linked to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical, both of which reportedly secured contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or its subsidiaries during her tenure.

Cash, Luxury Travel, and High-End Goods

The court heard that Alison-Madueke allegedly accepted £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights to Nigeria, and property refurbishments, including staff costs, at several London residences.

Other charges claim she took bribes in the form of her son’s school fees, luxury items from retailers such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton, and additional private jet trips.

Gossip News Now reports that Alison-Madueke, who served as OPEC president between 2014 and 2015, has faced multiple legal cases across various jurisdictions, including the United States.

In Nigeria, courts in 2017 ordered the seizure of several of her properties valued at millions of dollars.

A spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed that the agency still has “some subsisting cases against her,” without providing further details.

The former minister has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015 and has consistently denied all charges.

She was formally charged in 2023, when the UK National Crime Agency stated, “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.”

Two other defendants, Doye Agama, described as her brother, and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing bribery charges connected to the case.

Prosecutors noted that all three defendants had British addresses at the time the alleged offences occurred.

Presiding judge, Justice Justine Thornton, stated that she expects the trial to conclude by April 24.