Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, called on citizens to pray for her as she battles multi-million pounds allegations and charges of bribery and corruption instituted against her by the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA).
Allison-Madueke lawyer had told the court during the Plea and Trial Preparation hearing in Courtroom 14 while appearing together with Doye Agame and Olatimbo Ayinde, before a Southwark Crown Court judge that she is “anxious for the case to be heard,” and then move on with her life.
A prominent member of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom, who is an acquaintance of the former minister, had after the hearing on the fifth floor courtroom, while speaking with The Guardian after having a conversation with her, 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’ ” he revealed.
One of Diezani’s lawyers while speaking in front of the court, Emeka Ozoani (SAN), argued that, “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,” he added.
Asked if he flew from Nigeria just for the hearing. He replied: “Yes. I came because of my client.”
Allison-Madueke, due in court in February next year, is being accused by the NCA of benefitting in cash and kind for the awards of multi-million pounds worth of oil and gas contracts while serving in former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration between 2010 and 2015.
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