Ex-Nigerian Petroleum Minister Alison-Madueke found not guilty of bribery

Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has been acquitted of six bribery charges by a London jury, bringing an end to a long-running and high-profile corruption case involving a former senior energy official.

The verdict represents a significant setback for British authorities, who had been investigating allegations against her for more than a decade.

According to campaign group Spotlight on Corruption, the case highlights the difficulty of prosecuting alleged corruption involving powerful political figures.

Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s first female petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and once led the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), faced accusations of receiving lavish benefits from oil and gas industry figures in exchange for contracts in Nigeria.

Prosecutors alleged that she benefited from an extravagant lifestyle in London while wielding influence over lucrative oil deals. However, she denied all allegations, insisting she neither accepted bribes nor had direct control over contract awards.

Her legal team argued that many of the expenses cited by prosecutors were either reimbursed by the Nigerian government or covered personally, and she maintained she was widely regarded as “Madame Due Process.”

After a trial lasting several weeks at Southwark Crown Court, she was cleared following more than 46 hours of jury deliberation. She described the outcome as the end of a “nightmare,” saying she and her family had endured years of “relentless and unjust vilification and scrutiny.”

The UK’s National Crime Agency said it respected the jury’s decision.

Alison-Madueke has faced multiple investigations and allegations over the years, including scrutiny from U.S. authorities who previously claimed she influenced the awarding of oil contracts in exchange for bribes—allegations she has consistently denied.

Also acquitted in the case were oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother Doye Agama, who were both cleared of related conspiracy and bribery charges.

The trial itself nearly collapsed at several stages due to legal disputes and competing claims, including arguments about whistleblowing and alleged corruption within Nigerian investigative processes.

Despite the prolonged proceedings and earlier efforts to dismiss the case, the jury ultimately found all defendants not guilty, bringing the lengthy legal battle to a close.

Source: Reuters