The justice ministry of Nigeria said that over $53 million (£43 million) in alleged illicit cash that were retrieved from former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and others will be used to pay for public services. Authorities in the US claim that Alison Madueke enriched herself and others while she was in charge of Nigeria’s state oil company by giving contracts in return for bribery. The money is being brought back to Nigeria.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
In addition to many upscale residences in California and New York, the US claimed that the funds were used to purchase a 65-meter superyacht known as the Galactica Star. Despite all accusations of misconduct, 64-year-old Alison-Madueke has consistently denied them.
In the UK, where she was accused of bribery two years ago for allegedly giving away costly Louis Vuitton items, paying for private school tuition, and receiving at least $127,000 in cash, her purportedly ill-gotten wealth is also being investigated. She was the first female president of the oil exporters’ organization, Opec, and a pivotal member of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet.
She served as Nigeria’s petroleum resources minister from 2010 until 2015. Prior to this, she was the minister of steel development and solid minerals as well as transportation.
In 2023, the US Department of Justice said that two civil lawsuits pertaining to the confiscation of assets purportedly laundered in and through the US by Alison Madueke and her friends had been finally resolved. The United States and Nigeria affirmed on Friday that $52.88 million would be returned to Nigeria.
According to Reuters, this will be the first time assets connected to Alison Madueke that are located outside of Nigeria have been repatriated to the West African nation. Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi said the return of the monies is a major milestone in the ongoing fight against corruption during the official signing ceremony in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
According to Fagbemi, the International Institute of Justice will get $2.88 million of the funds to help anti-corruption initiatives and fortify the legal system, while the remaining $50 million would be used by the World Bank to fund rural electrification projects.
Richard Mills, the US ambassador to Nigeria, has emphasized the importance of accountability and the need for close oversight of the money that has been returned. “To improve the lives of Nigerians, the ministry of justice must ensure that these funds are used in an open and efficient manner,” he stated.
Washington transferred $311.8 million to the Nigerian government five years ago as part of an earlier agreement to repatriate assets linked to the Abacha regime, and the US government returned $20.6 million in assets purportedly stolen by former Nigerian military leader Gen. Sani Abacha to Nigeria in November 2022.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
