Acquitted Diezani Accuses UK Authorities of Destroying Her Reputation

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has accused British authorities of destroying her reputation and integrity after she was acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her following a 13-year investigation and a lengthy court battle in the United Kingdom.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC after a jury at Southwark Crown Court cleared her of multiple corruption-related charges, the former oil minister described the ordeal as traumatic and said the investigation had a devastating impact on her personal and professional life.

“I’ve not been allowed to travel. I’ve not been allowed to work. They destroyed my reputation and my integrity,” Alison-Madueke said.

The verdict marked the end of one of the most high-profile corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official in the UK. The 65-year-old was found not guilty of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery after a trial that examined allegations dating back more than a decade.

The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) had alleged that Alison-Madueke received luxury benefits from oil executives seeking lucrative government contracts during her tenure as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015.

According to prosecutors, the former minister benefited from expensive gifts and services, including luxury shopping, chauffeur-driven vehicles, private travel arrangements, and the use of high-end properties in London and Buckinghamshire.

However, Alison-Madueke consistently denied the allegations and maintained throughout the proceedings that she had done nothing wrong.

Reflecting on the impact of the case, she said the years-long investigation left deep emotional scars.

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“When your freedom is taken away from you, it has a very deep impact upon you psychologically,” she said.

“I knew that I had never done anything nefarious and I had never done any of the heinous things I was being accused of doing.”

Alison-Madueke was first arrested in 2015 but was not formally charged until 2023. The trial, which attracted significant attention in both Nigeria and the UK, finally concluded with her acquittal, bringing an end to a legal process that spanned more than a decade.

During the proceedings, her defence team argued that critical documents that could have helped establish her innocence had disappeared in Nigeria.

According to Alison-Madueke, the missing records included receipts and financial documents showing that payments allegedly made on her behalf by oil businessmen had been reimbursed.

She claimed the documents were taken from her Abuja residence during investigations conducted in 2015 and have not been recovered.

“Those items were taken away by our intelligence forces from my home in Abuja,” she said, adding that she had no knowledge of what later happened to them.

The former minister also received support from former President Goodluck Jonathan, who reportedly wrote to the court explaining that it was not unusual for third parties to cover accommodation and transportation costs for ministers during official overseas engagements.

Asked who should be held responsible for her ordeal, Alison-Madueke said accountability extended beyond a single institution.

“There’s a bit of blame everywhere,” she said.

She also urged Nigerian authorities to review the processes used in handling corruption investigations and prosecutions.

The former minister further suggested that she may have been unfairly targeted because of her position and reform efforts within Nigeria’s oil sector.

Alison-Madueke, who became the first female Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria and the first female President of OPEC, claimed the NCA treated her as “low-hanging fruit” while ignoring the challenges she faced in confronting entrenched interests in the petroleum industry.

“The long arm of the law when you go into other countries, particularly in politically motivated cases, needs to have a lot more sensitivity,” she said.

Responding to the verdict, the NCA defended its actions, stating that the investigation was conducted professionally and impartially.

The agency said the case involved a “long-running, in-depth and complex investigation” that was regularly reviewed by prosecutors and investigators, adding that it respected the jury’s decision.

The acquittal also extended to Alison-Madueke’s elder brother, Archbishop Doye Agama, who was cleared of conspiracy to commit bribery, as well as oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who was found not guilty of bribery-related offences.

Despite her legal victory in the UK, Alison-Madueke remains linked to separate asset recovery proceedings in Nigeria and the United States.

In 2023, the US Department of Justice recovered approximately $53 million in assets connected to two oil businessmen named in the wider corruption investigation. American authorities alleged that Alison-Madueke used her influence to facilitate the award of oil contracts to companies associated with the businessmen.

The former minister has denied any wrongdoing and noted that she was never charged in connection with that matter.

Similarly, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced in 2022 that it had recovered about $153 million and more than 80 properties allegedly linked to Alison-Madueke.

Reacting to those claims, she insisted that the forfeited assets were not directly traced to her and indicated that she would seek clarification on the matter following her acquittal.

Describing the conclusion of the UK trial as the end of a painful chapter, Alison-Madueke said the prolonged legal battle had taken a significant toll on her family and those close to her.

“For 11 long years, this case has hung over my head and tormented me and my family,” she said.

Her acquittal is expected to reignite debate over corruption investigations involving former public officials, the handling of international prosecutions, and ongoing efforts to recover allegedly stolen assets linked to Nigeria’s oil sector.

Acquitted Diezani Accuses UK Authorities of Destroying Her Reputation

Xenophobia Crisis: Hundreds of Nigerians Yet to Be Evacuated from South Africa

Hundreds of Nigerians seeking to return home from South Africa amid renewed xenophobic tensions have been left stranded following delays in the Federal Government’s evacuation programme, the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has said.

The Federal Government had announced on June 7, 2026, that five chartered flights operated by Air Peace would evacuate Nigerians willing to return home following a wave of anti-immigrant protests and attacks in parts of South Africa.

The evacuation plan followed a screening exercise conducted by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria in collaboration with South African authorities. Officials initially confirmed that more than 500 Nigerians had been cleared for evacuation, while later reports indicated that over 1,000 citizens registered for the voluntary repatriation programme.

Despite the announcement, only one evacuation flight has departed so far. The first batch of 258 Nigerians arrived in Lagos on June 11 aboard an Air Peace aircraft, leaving hundreds of others still awaiting transportation back to Nigeria.

In a statement signed by its National President, Frank Onyekwelu, NICASA expressed concern over the plight of stranded Nigerians, many of whom travelled long distances from various provinces in South Africa after being instructed to report for registration and screening.

According to the association, numerous Nigerians, including women and children, have exhausted their resources and are now struggling to survive while waiting for updates on the remaining flights.

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“Many of these citizens travelled from distant provinces across South Africa after being instructed to report for registration and screening. Today, numerous families, including women and children, are stranded without shelter, food, transportation, or financial means to sustain themselves,” NICASA said.

The association warned that the situation is rapidly becoming a humanitarian crisis, with some Nigerians reportedly sleeping in difficult conditions after spending their savings on transportation and temporary accommodation.

NICASA appealed to the Federal Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Assembly Committees on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Matters, and other relevant agencies to urgently intervene and prevent further hardship for affected citizens.

The group specifically called for the immediate deployment of emergency assistance for stranded Nigerians, improved communication from government agencies, and the swift operation of the remaining four evacuation flights.

It also urged the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa to strengthen engagement with community leaders and provide temporary welfare support to vulnerable Nigerians awaiting evacuation.

The delays come after earlier logistical and operational challenges affected the rollout of the repatriation exercise. Authorities had previously postponed the first evacuation flight due to regulatory and operational clearance issues before the programme eventually commenced.

When contacted on the latest situation, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said there was no fresh update on the remaining evacuation flights but assured that information would be provided once new developments emerge.

Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has reassured affected citizens that all registered Nigerians will be evacuated.

Speaking on the programme, NiDCOM’s Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocol, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, urged those awaiting evacuation to remain patient, stressing that the Federal Government is working to ensure the smooth completion of the repatriation exercise.

The commission had earlier confirmed that President Bola Tinubu approved and funded the evacuation programme as part of efforts to safeguard Nigerian citizens affected by the growing xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

With hundreds of Nigerians still awaiting evacuation, pressure is mounting on authorities to expedite the process and address the worsening humanitarian conditions facing stranded citizens.

Xenophobia Crisis: Hundreds of Nigerians Yet to Be Evacuated from South Africa

Diezani Must Return to Nigeria, Face EFCC Cases — Laolu Akande

Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has urged former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to return to Nigeria and defend herself against pending corruption allegations and EFCC cases, despite her recent legal outcome in the United Kingdom.

Akande made the call during a monitored interview on Friday, describing the UK court’s decision as “exciting news,” but stressing that it does not end or override ongoing proceedings in Nigeria.

Akande said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) still has active cases involving Diezani, including court-ordered asset forfeitures linked to alleged proceeds of corruption. He maintained that while foreign court rulings may influence public perception, they do not conclude domestic legal processes, especially where Nigerian courts are still reviewing related matters. He argued that the former minister should return home and allow the Nigerian judiciary to fully determine the outstanding allegations, insisting that only a local court judgment can provide final closure.

He also revisited controversies surrounding Nigeria’s oil sector during Diezani’s tenure as petroleum minister, particularly the strategic alliance agreements involving the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). Akande alleged that crude oil worth about $3 billion was sold under arrangements that did not involve proper payment of royalties or taxes. He added that these issues remain part of public records and investigations, though they are still subject to legal scrutiny and not fully resolved in court.

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He further claimed that documents reviewed during his time in government pointed to transactions involving Diezani and other individuals, adding that these matters require judicial determination in Nigeria.

Akande insisted that if Diezani believes the UK ruling supports her innocence, she should return to Nigeria and face the EFCC corruption trials to clear her name once and for all. He said allowing Nigerian courts to decide the pending cases would help resolve one of the country’s most high-profile corruption controversies and strengthen accountability in public service.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has faced multiple corruption allegations in Nigeria and abroad since leaving office in 2015. She has consistently denied wrongdoing, while several asset recovery and forfeiture proceedings have been carried out by Nigerian authorities over the years.

Akande’s remarks have further intensified public debate over whether foreign court outcomes should influence domestic corruption cases involving former public officials.

Diezani Must Return to Nigeria, Face EFCC Cases — Laolu Akande