By Babs Oyetoro
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all six bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom, bringing to a close a high-profile corruption trial that lasted five months and capped more than a decade of investigations and legal proceedings.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on Wednesday, acquitting the former minister of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
The verdict followed more than 46 hours of jury deliberations after a trial that began in January.
Her lead counsel, Jonathan Laidlaw, confirmed the outcome, saying: “Diezani Alison-Madueke was cleared of six charges of bribery at Southwark Crown Court on June 17, 2026, after a five-month trial.”
The case was initiated by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) following an extensive investigation into allegations linked to Alison-Madueke’s tenure as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Prosecutors had alleged that the former minister received financial benefits and luxury favours from individuals and companies seeking access to lucrative oil and gas contracts in Nigeria.
They claimed she enjoyed what they described as a lavish lifestyle funded by influential figures in the energy sector.
Among the benefits cited by the prosecution were the use of luxury properties in London, chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet travel, expensive shopping trips and other high-end personal expenses allegedly paid for by oil industry executives.
However, Alison-Madueke consistently denied all allegations, insisting she never solicited or accepted bribes while in office.
Her defence team argued that many of the expenditures highlighted during the trial were either reimbursed by her personally or covered through legitimate official channels.
The defence further contended that delays in bringing the case to trial affected the availability of key records and documents that could have strengthened her case. Lawyers also argued that some records relevant to the allegations had become inaccessible over time.
Following the verdict, Alison-Madueke described the outcome as the end of a prolonged legal battle that had cast a shadow over her life and family for more than a decade.
“For 11 long, gruelling years this case has hung over my head and has tormented my family and me,” she said after the judgment.
The acquittal represents a major development in one of the most closely watched international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official and a significant setback for British authorities who pursued the matter for years.
Alison-Madueke, who also served as President of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015, has remained the subject of investigations and asset recovery actions in multiple jurisdictions since leaving office.
She was first arrested in London in October 2015 and formally charged by British authorities in 2023.
While the UK criminal proceedings have now ended in her favour, the former minister’s name remains linked to other civil and regulatory actions in different countries arising from allegations connected to her time in office.
*Diezani breaks silence
Reacting to the verdict in a statement issued on her behalf by Bolouere Opukiri, Alison-Madueke described the judgment as complete vindication after more than a decade of what she termed relentless public scrutiny and condemnation.
She said the acquittal had finally brought an end to an ordeal that weighed heavily on her and her family for 11 years.
“Today, a decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally concluded,” she stated.
The former minister expressed gratitude to her legal team, family and friends for standing by her throughout the lengthy legal process.
She also thanked God for what she described as her complete vindication by the court.
“I am profoundly relieved. My name has been cleared, and this ordeal has come to an end,” she said.
Alison-Madueke hinted that she would provide a fuller account of the events surrounding the case and outline her plans at a later date.
“This, however, is not the final chapter. In due course, I shall address this difficult period in greater detail and share my intentions for the future,” she added.
For now, she said she intends to focus on rebuilding her life and embracing what she called the freedom that had been denied her throughout the prolonged legal battle.
