British authorities announced on Tuesday that Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Nigerian oil minister, has been charged with bribery-related offences. The charges are based on suspicions that she received bribes in exchange for granting substantial oil and gas contracts.
Alison-Madueke, aged 63, held the position of petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan. She also assumed the role of president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015.
The National Crime Agency’s (NCA) International Corruption Unit Head, Andy Kelly, stated, “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts. These charges mark a significant step in a comprehensive and intricate international investigation.”
Alison-Madueke had been detained in London in October 2015, shortly after her term in office ended. She has also been the focus of investigations in both Nigeria and the United States. She has previously refuted allegations of corruption. As of Tuesday, she could not be reached for comment, and her London-based lawyer, who represented her in 2015, did not promptly respond to requests for statements.
The NCA revealed that Alison-Madueke currently resides in the affluent St John’s Wood area of west London. She is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on October 2.
According to the NCA, Alison-Madueke faces accusations of benefiting from sums exceeding £100,000 ($127,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights, lavish family vacations, and the utilisation of numerous London properties.
The charges against her also enumerate financial gains such as furniture, property renovations, personnel for the properties, private school fees, and gifts from upscale establishments including Cartier and Louis Vuitton, the NCA stated.
Moreover, assets valued in the millions of pounds that relate to the alleged offences have been frozen. The NCA added that they provided evidence to the U.S. Department of Justice that facilitated the recovery of approximately $53 million in assets connected to Alison-Madueke.
In separate but equally prominent cases of political corruption in Nigeria, local courts have issued orders for the seizure of assets worth tens of millions of dollars, encompassing properties, automobiles, substantial quantities of jewellery, and even a gold iPhone.
This news of British charges follows a recent ruling by a London court to confiscate $130 million from former Nigerian oil state governor James Ibori. The UK’s well-established legal, financial sectors and lucrative property market make it an international hub for money laundering, prompting efforts by authorities, including the NCA’s anti-corruption unit, to combat illicit financial activities.
