Verdict at Southwark Crown Court ends decade-long UK investigation; Alison-Madueke calls ordeal traumatic for her family

A London jury on Tuesday cleared Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all bribery and corruption charges at Southwark Crown Court, bringing to a close an eleven-year legal battle that has drawn intense attention across Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The verdict followed 46 hours of jury deliberation after a five-month trial arising from a UK National Crime Agency probe into alleged corrupt practices during her tenure.

The prosecution had accused Alison-Madueke, who served as petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 under President Goodluck Jonathan (PDP), of accepting bribes from oil industry executives in exchange for awarding lucrative contracts. British authorities alleged that these executives funded her luxury lifestyle in London, referencing high-value items including a £25,000 Chanel handbag, a £22,000 designer rug, use of private jets, chauffeured vehicles and access to high-end properties. However, her defence maintained that all such expenditures were either short-term loans due to Nigerian credit card failures abroad or fully reimbursed from family resources and official entitlements.

Delivering her reaction outside the court, Alison-Madueke described the eleven-year ordeal as deeply traumatic for her and those close to her. “I did my job to the best of my ability. I am just thankful to God. It’s been a very arduous and long journey—traumatic not just for me but for my family, friends and all those who have supported me,” she said. She added that the verdict finally ends years of “relentless and unjust vilification,” specifically mentioning the impact on her 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt and her son. The former OPEC president further noted that faith in God sustained her throughout the process.

The trial also saw acquittals for co-defendants Olatimbo Ayinde, a 54-year-old oil executive accused of providing credit cards for Alison-Madueke’s use, and Doye Agama, her brother and a UK-based pastor who was charged with conspiracy relating to alleged illicit payments. The judge told jurors that if it was plausible the funds were loans repaid in full by Alison-Madueke or sourced from legitimate family income or official allocations, then they could not be considered bribes under UK law.

While this verdict brings closure to one aspect of longstanding allegations against Alison-Madueke abroad, Nigerian authorities have indicated ongoing efforts to recover assets linked to the former minister. The federal government previously announced securing $52.88 million (about ₦62 billion at current exchange rates) in recovered assets connected to cases involving Alison-Madueke. As at now, it remains unclear whether further legal proceedings may arise locally or internationally following this high-profile acquittal.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/diezani-alison-madueke-acquitted-uk-court-bribery-2026061802280352639