The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has removed an Instagram post that quoted former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, addressing money laundering charges against her.
The post, initially visible on the EFCC’s official Instagram handle, claimed that the former minister spoke in an interview in the United Kingdom. GOVIMA reports the former minister acknowledges that that she embezzled money from Nigeria. Read here
Upon further investigation, it was observed on Saturday that the unsigned post had been taken down by the anti-graft agency. In response to the development, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale denied the report, emphasizing that the agency did not release or endorse the information.
“The report is not from the EFCC. Anything that is not signed by me is not from us (the EFCC),” Oyewale stated.
Diezani Allison-Madueke, who served during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, left the country amidst prosecution by the EFCC for alleged money laundering.
In October 2023, it was reported that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, submitted a warrant of arrest and extradition request to the Crown Prosecution Services of the United Kingdom.
The extradition request, made on the orders of President Bola Tinubu, followed an official request by the EFCC to the AGF earlier in October. The AGF’s office cited Section 2 (2) of Nigeria’s Extradition Act and the London Scheme of Extradition within the Commonwealth in the extradition request.
A reliable source within the Federal Government disclosed that the EFCC had established a prima facie case against Allison-Madueke, leading to the issuance of a warrant of arrest by a magistrate.
The warrant of arrest, along with the extradition request, was then sent to the UK government by the AGF at the President’s directive.
