By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been arraigned before a court in London over allegations of receiving £100,000 in bribes.
Diezani appeared at the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom, where prosecutors accused her of accepting the money while serving as Nigeria’s oil minister. The charge forms part of a wider corruption case linked to alleged abuse of office and illicit financial dealings during her time in government.
According to the prosecution, the £100,000 was allegedly paid as a bribe in exchange for favours connected to oil and gas interests. The court was told that the funds were part of suspected proceeds of corruption tied to Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Diezani, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, denied the allegations. Her legal team maintained that she is innocent and will contest the charges.
The trial is being handled by UK authorities following long-running investigations into alleged corruption involving Nigerian public officials. British prosecutors said the case highlights international efforts to track and prosecute financial crimes that cross borders.
Diezani has been the subject of multiple corruption investigations in Nigeria and abroad since leaving office. Nigerian anti-graft agencies have previously accused her of misappropriating public funds and laundering money through foreign assets, allegations she has consistently denied.
The London court adjourned the matter to a later date to allow proceedings to continue. If found guilty, Diezani could face significant penalties under UK anti-corruption laws.
The case is being closely watched in Nigeria, where it has renewed public debate about accountability, recovered assets, and the prosecution of high-profile corruption cases involving former public officials.
