Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, has asked Nigerians to pray for her over the multi-million pounds allegations and charges of bribery and corruption instituted against her by the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA).
Allison-Madueke, who appeared with Doye Agame and Olatimbo Ayinde, before a Southwark Crown Court judge is “anxious for the case to be heard,” and then carry on with her life, her lawyer told the court during the recent Plea and Trial Preparation hearing in Courtroom 14.
After the hearing, a prominent member of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom, who is an ally of the former minister, talked to The Guardian after having a conversation with her.
He said: “I feel sorry for her. Here’s a powerful woman who will say come and you come. She told me ‘I need prayers’ and to ‘please pray for me.’”
However, a top lawyer who flew from Nigeria to represent his client, Benedict Peters, talked to The Guardian after the hearing and said “the case is weak,” and “won’t fly.”
While speaking in front of the court, Emeka Ozoani (SAN), said: “They—NCA—have spent five to six years investigating the case and are trying to justify what they’ve done with taxpayers money.
“l came to represent one of those linked to the case.”
When asked if he flew from Nigeria just for the hearing. He answered: “Yes. I came because of my client.”
Allison-Madueke, whose case has been adjourned to February next year, is alleged by the NCA to have benefitted in cash and kind from the awards of multi-million pounds worth of oil and gas contracts while working under former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration between 2010 and 2015.
During the hearing, both sides of the bench argued that the trial was expected to last between seven to 10 weeks; starting not earlier than November 2025.
However, they revealed that they wouldn’t want the Christmas break to affect the proceedings when the trial eventually commences.
When the crown prosecutor informed the judge that it’s either “January 19, 2026,” and that “November 3, 2025, is the second date that the court can accommodate the case,” Judge Baumgartner said: “l think January 19, 2026, will be more suited to the case.”
