Diezani Madueke, the former minister of petroleum who fled to the United Kingdom due to concerns about the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has appealed for forgiveness to President Bola Tinubu’s administration in Nigeria.
Diezani, who is allegedly in the second stage of cancer, begged Tinubu to let her go back to Nigeria so she could acknowledge financial wrongdoing during her time in office. Speaking to the media in London during a medical appointment, the former petroleum minister—who is suspected of stealing billions of dollars from Nigeria—said she would be happy to provide information on the purportedly looted funds during her tenure in government.
“I am now a born-again Christian and currently grappling with the second stage of cancer, for which my United Kingdom-based physician has advised me to continue medication for the rest of my life,” Diezani said in a statement obtained by the Nigerian Tribune. True, nobody is perfect, yet occasionally, God Almighty allows for such things to happen.
Acknowledging accusations of financial misconduct during her tenure, she added, “I’ve been accused of financial misconduct during my tenure as the petroleum minister, and it’s true. But since life is fleeting, I would like President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to pardon me, let me go home, and let me contribute.
She continued by mentioning her relationship with Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal Dare, to whom she gave over nine billion dollars to be kept safe while he was First Bank Nigeria PLC’s executive director.
“My spouse and my whole family, including my Nigerian lawyer in the UK, were aware of my association with Dauda Lawal Dare, the present governor of Zamfara State, to whom I entrusted more than nine billion dollars for safekeeping during his tenure as Executive Director of First Bank Nigeria PLC,” the woman stated.
“Unfortunately, it has gotten to the point where Mr. Dauda Lawal is not returning my calls and has even collaborated with UK police to place me under surveillance, possibly in order to retrieve the money I entrusted to him upon my passing.”
In October, SaharaReporters revealed that Alison Madueke is being tried in the UK on charges of bribery.
The Westminster Magistrates Court postponed the trial regarding Alison Madureke’s complaint alleging she accepted a £100,000 bribe.
In August 2023, the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom declared its suspicion that Alison-Madueke had accepted bribes in exchange for giving multi-million pound contracts for oil and gas.
Alison-Madueke “is alleged to have benefited from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, luxury vacations for her family, and the use of multiple London properties,” according to the NCA’s website.
Meanwhile, Allison-Madueke’s immediate extradition to the United Kingdom was requested by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who also filed an arrest warrant.
On October 2, the EFCC said that it had started the process of extraditing Mrs. Alison Madueke from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria due to 13 allegations that the anti-graft agency had brought against her that involved money laundering.