UK Court Hears Extravagant Spending Allegations Against Former Nigerian Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke
In a trial at Southwark Crown Court, former Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke faces allegations of extravagant spending and corruption. Prosecutors presented evidence of Alison-Madueke spending approximately £170,000 (N325 million) in a single day on luxury furniture, including chairs, lamps, and tables. The trial also involves her brother, Doye Agama, and Ayinde Olatimbo Bukola, an executive at Duchess Oil. The prosecution claims that the spending is part of a broader pattern of misconduct, linked to revenues from Nigeria's oil sector. Alison-Madueke, who served as OPEC president from 2014 to 2015, has been involved in multiple legal cases, including in the United States. She was arrested in Britain in 2015 and formally charged in 2023 with accepting bribes, which she denies. The trial continues with further witnesses expected to testify.