Ex-Nigerian oil minister denies taking bribes
A former Nigerian oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, has refuted allegations of accepting bribes, stating she never sought or received payments in exchange for awarding government contracts. During her testimony at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, she emphasized her efforts to combat corruption in a nation long associated with graft since its colonial era.
Accusations and Rebuttals
Prosecutors claimed Alison-Madueke was provided with extravagant accommodations and significant spending in the UK, including over £2 million at Harrods and £4.6 million on home renovations. However, she asserted that these expenses were later reimbursed by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), explaining that a London-based service firm was established to manage the logistics due to the NNPC’s financial turmoil.
“I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort from these persons and did not abuse my office,” Alison-Madueke said. “I always sought to act impartially.”
She highlighted that the cost of her stays and travel was covered by the NNPC, noting that her ex-husband’s hospital treatment in 2011 prompted a five-day visit to a Buckinghamshire home. “I was not involved in the arrangements for the stay,” she clarified, adding that a separate visit over two weeks was for collaborating on a book celebrating the Nigerian president’s support for women.
Properties and Claims
Alison-Madueke described a Regent’s Park property as used for discreet meetings, while another allegedly linked to her was “completely gutted” for renovations and not usable when she viewed it. The court also learned that she and her mother occupied two St John’s Wood apartments, with rent paid by businessman Kolawole Aluko, a key figure in the case not facing trial. She argued that this arrangement was more cost-effective than continuing to rent high-end hotel suites, such as those at the Savoy or Dorchester.
“They paid for all my hotels, chauffeurs… to allow me to perform the job that I did,” she said.
Alison-Madueke’s testimony touched on her professional journey, including her rapid rise at Shell, where she became the first senior female executive in its Nigerian operations. Despite her initial reservations about the company due to its treatment of her father, a former employee, she accepted the role after Shell faced challenges managing oil spills in the Niger Delta, a region near her family’s home.
Security and Personal History
She recounted threats to her safety, citing Nigeria’s patriarchal nature and the risks of having a woman in a leadership position. “I was under dire threats of kidnap,” she said, noting that family members were seized during her tenure. Additionally, her father had previously sued Shell for alleged apartheid practices in West Africa, which she said left a lasting impression on her.
In 2015, Alison-Madueke was elected as the first female head of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), a group of oil-producing nations that determines global oil supply. She faces five counts of accepting bribes and one of conspiracy to commit bribery, while her brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, is also on trial for corruption charges.
