Ololade Adeyanju/
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has expressed gratitude to God after a UK court acquitted her of all bribery charges, bringing to a close a legal battle that lasted almost 11 years.
Speaking shortly after a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all counts, Alison-Madueke described the case as a long and difficult ordeal, reflecting on both its personal and family impact.
“I did my job to the best of my ability. I am just thankful to God. It’s been a very, very arduous and long, almost 11-year journey. It has been traumatic, not just for me, but for my family, my friends, and all those who have stayed and supported me.
“For my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt, for my son, and for all those who love us, it has been a hard journey. But I tell you this: God will always do as God wills, and God will be God.”
The verdict marked a dramatic conclusion to one of the highest-profile corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
British prosecutors had accused Alison-Madueke of accepting bribes from businessmen seeking influence and advantages in relation to oil and gas contracts during her time as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015.
She denied all allegations and maintained throughout the trial that she neither sought nor accepted bribes.
The jury ultimately acquitted her of five counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery after hearing months of evidence.
The acquittal is a significant development for Alison-Madueke, whose name has remained at the centre of corruption allegations and investigations since she left office following the end of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2015.
The former minister was one of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s oil industry during her tenure and made history as the first woman to serve as president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The UK case was regarded as a major test of Britain’s efforts to pursue international corruption cases involving foreign public officials.
Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke benefited from luxury accommodation, travel and other advantages funded by associates connected to the oil industry.
Her defence team argued that she exercised no unilateral control over the award of oil licences and contracts and challenged the prosecution’s characterisation of her relationship with several of the individuals involved in the case.
Also acquitted in the case were oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, who had faced related charges.
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