Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has described the bribery allegations brought against her in the United Kingdom as a decade-long ordeal that tormented both her and her family, following her acquittal by a British court.
Alison-Madueke said she felt deeply relieved and vindicated after spending 11 years battling accusations that cast a shadow over her personal and professional life.
Despite her acquittal in the United Kingdom, Alison-Madueke still faces pending corruption and money laundering cases in Nigeria, where authorities have continued investigations into allegations linked to her tenure as petroleum minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration between 2010 and 2015.
Speaking after a jury at Southwark Crown Court cleared her of all corruption-related charges on Wednesday, the former president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) expressed relief after the verdict.
Addressing newsmen outside the court, she said: “I am deeply relieved. My name is cleared. This nightmare is over. I thank God Almighty for His faithfulness and for completely vindicating me.”
Reflecting on the verdict, the former minister said the legal battle had subjected her to years of public scrutiny and personal anguish.
“For eleven long, gruelling years, this case has hung over my head and has tormented my family and me. But today, the past decade of relentless and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally come to an end.”
Alison-Madueke, who also served as President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015, described the investigation and trial as a “dark period” in her life.
“I will speak more about this dark period and my plans for the future, but right now I am going to enjoy the freedom that has been unjustly stolen from me for far too many years,” she added.
The former petroleum minister was first arrested in London in October 2015 as part of a wide-ranging investigation into alleged corruption linked to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. In 2023, British prosecutors formally charged her with five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Prosecutors had alleged that Alison-Madueke received more than £100,000 in benefits from oil and gas executives seeking lucrative contracts. The alleged benefits included private jet travel, chauffeur-driven vehicles, luxury goods, the use and maintenance of a London property, and payment of school fees for her son.
The former minister consistently denied all allegations and maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings in the UK.
She stood trial alongside Ayinde Bukola and Agama Doye after the case opened in January this year. Following more than 46 hours of deliberations, the jury returned verdicts acquitting her of all charges.
The UK verdict marks a significant legal victory for the former minister, ending one of the most closely watched international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
However, attention is expected to remain on the unresolved proceedings in Nigeria, which could determine the next chapter in her long-running legal battles.