Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all corruption-related charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
A jury at a London court on Wednesday returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on six counts bordering on bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, bringing to a close a high-profile trial that attracted significant attention in both Nigeria and the UK.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources under former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015, had been accused of accepting bribes in connection with her public office. The charges included five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Throughout the proceedings, the former minister maintained her innocence and denied all allegations against her.
The jury’s decision effectively clears Alison-Madueke of the charges and marks the conclusion of one of the most prominent corruption cases involving a former Nigerian government official to be tried in the United Kingdom.
The case had drawn widespread interest due to Alison-Madueke’s influential role in Nigeria’s oil sector during her tenure as petroleum minister and the broader implications for international anti-corruption efforts.
With Wednesday’s verdict, the legal proceedings against the former minister in the UK have reached a significant conclusion, ending years of scrutiny and courtroom battles over the allegations.
