Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani
Alison-Madueke
Operatives of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission
have taken over the residence of the former Minister of
Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in
Asokoro, Abuja.
The operatives stormed Alison-Madueke’s residence on
Friday shortly after she was arrested by the police in the
United Kingdom.
The EFCC officials, who were fully armed, were sighted in
two buses at the gate of the residence as of 8pm on Friday.
They had earlier stormed the place with three trucks, one
of which was marked ‘police.’
Earlier, the former minister was arrested by the operatives
of the National Crime Agency in London, the United
Kingdom.
Investigations revealed that Alison-Madueke was arrested
in relation to offences bordering on fraud and bribery.
The Spokesman for the UK High Commission in Abuja, Joe
Abuku, confirmed to one of our correspondents that five
persons were arrested by the agency.
The International Corruption Unit of the NCA, on its
website, also confirmed the arrest of five people across
London as part of an investigation into suspected bribery
and money laundering activities.
The ICU is mainly responsible for investigating
international corruption affecting developing countries.
Findings also revealed that her arrest was connected with
her alleged mismanagement of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation and missing funds in the
corporation.
It was learnt that the Seizure Organised Crime Agency
within the National Crimes Agency of the UK was responsible
for arresting Alison-Madueke over the ongoing probe of
allegations against her.
It was also learnt that Alison-Madueke was picked up by
operatives of the SOCA at the instance of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, which had also been probing
her in Nigeria, discreetly.
Saturday PUNCH investigations revealed that the SOCA has
a working agreement with the EFCC in the area of
investigation of allegations of financial crimes and
proceeds of such crimes.
The source said, “It is true that the former Minister of
Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Maduake, has been
arrested by the UK’s National Crimes Agency, not the
Metropolitan Police.
“There is an agency within the National Crimes Agency
called the Seizures Organised Crimes Agency. She was
actually arrested by operatives of SOCA because the agency
has a working agreement with the EFCC.
“We have been cooperating with SOCA on a number of issues.
“I can tell you that Diezani is being quizzed over allegations
of bribery and fraud by the UK police.”
Investigations further revealed that the EFCC dispatched a
team of crack investigators to Alison-Madueke’s residence
at Frederick Chiluba Avenue, Asokoro, Abuja, moments
after the commission was alerted that the investigation
had commenced from the UK’s end.
It was further gathered that the EFCC operatives were still
searching her residence as of the time of filing this report.
A relation of Alison-Madueke, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, confirmed her arrest to one of our
correspondents on Friday.
Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and
Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, to comment on
the issue as repeated calls to his mobile telephone line
indicated that it was either switched off or in an area
outside network coverage.
Speaking to one of our correspondents on the telephone, an
official of the NCA, who didn’t disclose his identity, said he
could not comment on an ongoing investigation.
“I’m afraid I cannot comment on an ongoing
investigation,” he said. Another official of the ICU, who
also didn’t disclose his identity, told Saturday PUNCH on
the telephone that he could neither confirm nor deny that
the former petroleum minister was arrested.
“It is part of our policy not to disclose information like that
to anyone, so I cannot confirm nor deny that she has been
arrested,” the official said.
Another official at the Press Office of the Department for
International Development said he would get in touch with
Saturday PUNCH on the development, but he had yet to do
so as of the time of publishing this report.
The ICU, however, said it was stepping up its work to
investigate cases of international corruption affecting
developing countries. Its International Development
Secretary, Justine Greening, on the agency’s website, said,
“Corruption is not only picking the pockets of the poor, it is
an enemy of prosperity and a brake on a country’s
development. Through the international corruption unit,
the best of British law enforcement will step up our aid
work combating corruption head on across the developing
world.”
The Joint Head of the ICU, Jon Benton, also said the work
the agency was doing was absolutely vital for helping
developing countries get back what is rightfully theirs.
“The UK has zero tolerance for overseas bribery and
corruption,” he said.
Meanwhile, a source at the EFCC confirmed to The Cable, an
online newspaper that the commission carried out a raid on
Friday at the residence of the former minister.
The raid took place just few minutes after the ICU
arrested the former minister, the report said.
“The raid on her [Alison-Madueke] residence today
(Friday) yielded vital information that will help in the
prosecution of the case. Many agencies across several
countries are involved in this investigation. Anti-money
laundering agencies in Austria, France, Switzerland,
Nigeria and the UK are working together on it,” the source
was quoted to have said.
The former petroleum resources minister’s arrest came two
days after President Muhammadu Buhari announced
himself as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum.
He had vowed to recover all looted funds worth several
millions of dollars that were allegedly stolen in the
petroleum ministry under the watch of Alison-Madueke,
who had become an object of attacks from Nigerians over
scandals that rocked the ministry during the former
administration.
For instance, in June 2008, Alison-Madueke was subjected
to a Senate probe after it emerged that as Transport
Minister, she had paid N30.9bn ($263m) to contractors
between December 26 and 31, 2007. She is said to be worth
over N1bn.
However, she has never been officially charged or tried for
these allegations and has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
She was alleged to have spent billions of dollars
inappropriately on private jets and responsible for some
$20bn, reportedly missing.
She is also widely accused of reckless spending of
government funds. When contacted, the Special Adviser to
the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina,
said, “I have no comment or information on it. It is a
security matter.”
Meanwhile, EFCC operatives also stormed the home of Jide
Omokore, one of her business allies while she was the oil
minister.
Omokore owns SPOG and Atlantic Energy and is said to be
involved in multi-billion dollar oil deals, including kerosene
scam that denied Nigeria’s treasury by over $6bn.
It was reported by Sahara Reporters that Omokore’s 9
Turnbull Street home in Ikoyi, Lagos and his Glover Street,
Ikoyi office were raided by the EFCC operatives.
It was, however, learnt that the former minister was
granted bail hours after she was detained by the ICU.
A report by Channels TV said that the London Police
confirmed that she had been charged to court for money
laundering and she’s expected to appear at the Charing
Cross Police Station for questioning on Monday.
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