Fugitive Nigerian ex-minister's court date set
Thursday December 06 2018
Wanted: Diezani Alison-Madueke who served as Nigeria's Oil minister from 2010-2015. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A Nigerian court has ordered the arraignment of runaway former Petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke on February 25, 2019.
Consequently, the Federal High Court ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force to produce Ms Alison-Madueke.
Ms Madueke will face a five-count charge for offences, which are contrary to Sections 26(1) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Ms Madueke and some of her accomplices, are based in London, and EFCC only recently began exploring the possibility of extraditing them to Nigeria.
Interactive session
Acting EFCC Ibrahim Magu, said during an interactive session with the civil society in Lagos on Tuesday that the anti-graft agency had already contacted Britain on the issue.
The commission, Mr Magu disclosed, had secured a number of temporary and permanent forfeiture of property and various sums of money unlawfully acquired by persons of questionable character.
EFCC investigated the former minister along with Mr Jide Omokore, a former chairman of the Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, following a petition dated October 2, 2013, from the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), bordering on money laundering and official corruption.
Investigations into the petition revealed that Ms Madueke, as the supervising minister of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was culpable of engaging in illicit and monumental fraudulent dealings in oil transactions, which she entered into on behalf of the Federal Government.
Warrant of arrest
Ms Madueke and Mr Omokore were also alleged to have accepted and given gifts in properties located at Penthouse 22, Block B, Admiralty Estate, Ikoyi, and Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, Banana Island, Lagos.
EFCC filed an application for a warrant of arrest, condition precedent for Ms Madueke’s extradition protocol to bring her back home to face trial.
The prosecution told the court that Ms Madueke jetted out of the country while investigations into the alleged fraudulent acts were ongoing.