Diezani Alison-Madueke: “No Bribes, NNPC Funded My Luxury Life” — Tells UK Court

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has denied allegations of bribery while testifying before a United Kingdom court, maintaining that she neither solicited nor received any illicit payments during her time in office. According to Ireporter Online, the former minister told the Southwark Crown Court that all expenses incurred on her behalf in London were official and duly reimbursed by the Nigerian government.

She stated that her actions in office were guided by impartiality and transparency, stressing that she did not abuse her position. However, prosecutors alleged that several Nigerian businessmen funded a range of luxury expenses for her, including reported spending exceeding £2 million at Harrods and about £4.6 million on property renovations in London and Buckinghamshire.

Further claims presented in court suggested that she had access to multiple high-value properties, including residences in Marylebone and homes overlooking Regent’s Park. In response, Alison-Madueke insisted that all such arrangements were strictly tied to her official responsibilities, explaining that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company reimbursed the costs.

She told the court that a London-based firm handled her travel and accommodation logistics due to inefficiencies in official systems, noting that such support enabled her to effectively carry out her duties. Addressing her stay at a property in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, she explained that she spent a brief period there with her family during Christmas in 2011 due to her husband’s medical condition, which prevented travel back to Nigeria.

The former minister added that she later returned to the same location for official work, including collaborating with government officials on a publication highlighting presidential support for women. She also clarified that a residence near Regent’s Park was used for discreet official meetings, while dismissing claims about another property allegedly linked to her, describing it as uninhabitable at the time.

On accommodation arrangements in St John’s Wood, Alison-Madueke acknowledged staying in apartments with her mother, noting that the arrangement was more cost-effective than high-end hotels such as the Savoy or Dorchester. She further denied any knowledge of a reported £100,000 cash delivery by a chauffeur, stating that the funds were unrelated to her.

Reflecting on her time in office, she described the challenges of operating in what she called a patriarchal environment, adding that she faced serious security threats, including alleged kidnapping incidents involving members of her family. Alison-Madueke, who once served as president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, is currently facing multiple counts of alleged bribery alongside co-defendants, all of whom have pleaded not guilty as proceedings continue.