In a significant development, Ibe Kachikwu, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, has been implicated in criminal charges alongside others, as former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, faces accusations of receiving bribes in exchange for awarding oil contracts.
According to court documents seen by TheCable, Kachikwu is mentioned in the charges alongside Benedict Peters, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aiteo, and Haruna Momoh, a former Managing Director of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC). Olatimbo Bukola Ayinde and Doye Agama are also named in the court process.
The charges allege that Kachikwu was bribed in August 2015, with the intention of influencing his capacity as a foreign public official, a violation of sections 6 and 11 of the Bribery Act 2010.
Diezani Alison-Madueke appeared before a Westminster magistrates’ court where she did not enter a plea. The district judge, Michael Snow, granted her bail in the sum of £70,000. However, he imposed strict conditions, considering her a flight risk. These conditions include an 11 pm to 6 am curfew, wearing an electronic tag at all times, and a £70,000 surety to be paid before leaving the court building.
Simultaneously, Diezani Alison-Madueke is under investigation in Nigeria for alleged bribery and money laundering. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused her of embezzling $2.5 billion from Nigeria’s coffers during her tenure as minister. Alison-Madueke vehemently denies all allegations.
Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, confirmed that the commission has obtained a warrant of arrest and initiated extradition proceedings against the former minister. The unfolding legal proceedings shed light on the complexities of corruption allegations involving high-profile figures in Nigeria’s oil sector.
