British police announced on Tuesday that they have charged former Nigerian Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke with bribery offenses, stating that they suspect she accepted bribes in exchange for awarding oil and gas contracts worth millions of pounds. Alison-Madueke (63 years old) served as Minister of Oil from 2010 to 2015 during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. She also held the presidency of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from 2014 to 2015.
Andy Kelly, head of the International Corruption Unit of the National Crime Agency, said, "We suspect that Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her position of power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards in exchange for awarding contracts worth millions of pounds." He added, "These charges represent a turning point in a comprehensive and complex international investigation."
British police arrested Madueke in London in October 2015 shortly after she left her position, and she has also been the subject of investigations in Nigeria and the United States. She has previously denied allegations of corruption, but she could not be contacted on Tuesday. The Anti-Corruption Unit stated that the former oil minister currently resides in the upscale St. John's Wood area of West London and will appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court on October 2.
