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| Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke |
These are indeed rough times for the immediate past Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke. The elegant lady who superintended Nigeria’s petroleum Ministry from 2010 and May 2015, was early in the month arrested with four other people by the UK National Crime Agency. She was however, later granted bail and will be charged to court for offences relating to money laundering, bribery and corruption, according to the UK National Crime Agency.
As she was being grilled in London, her home in the highbrow Asokoro area of Abuja was under siege as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sealed off her house.
It is believed that Alison-Madueke who was easily the most powerful minister during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, was arrested based on request from the Nigerian Federal Government. The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, has refused to confirm or deny this.
Alison-Madueke allegedly involved in many corrupt dealings while in office as Petroleum Minister. Under her tenure, the NNPC was rocked by a missing $20billion scandal, over which the new General Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has promised to invite foreign auditor for a full forensic audit of the corporation’s accounts. Former Central Bank Governor and now the Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi alleged that NNPC could not account for $20billion of public funds.
The allegations included keeping $700 million in her house and losing the sum of N2billion in various foreign currencies to her domestic staff on June 3, 2014. She had also allegedly sunk about N3.120 billion into the maintenance of a private jet dedicated to the service of herself and her family. A breakdown of the money, showed that the sum of 500,000 Euros (N130 million) was spent every month on the maintenance of the airplane, which amounted to N3.120 billion for the two years in question.
The lady who has stayed away from Nigeria since President Buhari emerged president, has consistently rejected all allegations of embezzlement.
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