Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, says her clearance by a London court has brought an end to what she described as years of public scrutiny and allegations.
The Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom cleared her of six bribery-related charges after a jury deliberated for more than 46 hours before returning not-guilty verdicts on Wednesday.
The case, which began years after she left office in 2015, centred on allegations that she received luxury benefits and financial advantages from oil industry figures in exchange for influence over contracts. She denied all allegations throughout the proceedings.
Following the ruling, Alison-Madueke reacted in a video message, thanking God and reflecting on the length of the legal process.
“I’m just thankful to God. It’s been a very, very arduous and long, almost 11 years. It’s been traumatic not just for me but for my family, for friends, for all those who have stayed and supported,” she said.
She also pointed to the personal toll on her family, adding: “For my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt, for my son, and for all those who love us… it has been a hard journey.”
Addressing the outcome, she said: “God will always do as God wills… God is not a man that he should lie. So when he promises you something, he will see it through.”
In a separate statement released through her representative, Bolouere Opukiri, she said the verdict marked the end of a long period of public criticism.
“A decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally concluded,” the statement read.
She added: “I give thanks to Almighty God for His faithfulness and for the complete vindication I have received… I am profoundly relieved. My name has been cleared, and this ordeal has come to an end.”
Alison-Madueke, who also once led the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said she would speak further on the matter and her next steps at a later time, while focusing for now on rebuilding her private life after years of legal proceedings in the UK.
