In London on Monday, former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke told a Southwark Crown Court that she never accepted bribes and insisted that all expenses linked to her stay in the United Kingdom were legitimate government-approved payments. She stated in her testimony that she did not request or receive any illegal financial benefit during her time […]
In London on Monday, former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke told a Southwark Crown Court that she never accepted bribes and insisted that all expenses linked to her stay in the United Kingdom were legitimate government-approved payments.
She stated in her testimony that she did not request or receive any illegal financial benefit during her time in office, adding that her conduct was guided by official responsibilities.
Diezani explained that all payments made on her behalf abroad were connected to her ministerial duties and processed through Nigerian government arrangements.
She dismissed allegations of corruption, maintaining that she acted in line with public service standards throughout her tenure.
Prosecutors, however, accused her of benefiting from luxury expenditures allegedly financed by Nigerian businessmen, including property upgrades and high-end lifestyle costs in the UK.
They also referenced access to multiple expensive London properties allegedly linked to her name.
In response, she told the court that such arrangements were part of structured logistics approved to support official assignments.
She said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company was responsible for reimbursing her expenses, while a UK-based firm coordinated travel and accommodation arrangements.
Diezani added that these systems were introduced to ensure efficiency during official trips and government assignments.
She further explained that some of her stays in the UK were influenced by official engagements as well as family-related medical needs during that period.
She also told the court she participated in compiling a government-related publication on women’s development achievements.
The former minister rejected claims of improper property use, stating that some locations were used for meetings while others were not fit for occupation.
She denied any knowledge of alleged cash transfers linked to her staff.
Diezani said her tenure was marked by significant pressure, including security threats and personal risks.
The case remains ongoing as she stands trial with other defendants on multiple bribery-related charges, all of whom have pleaded not guilty.