Hours after the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke was arrested by the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, and her residences in Abuja and Lagos simultaneously raided by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Federal Government has started mulling the idea of having her extradited back to Nigeria.
Diezani was arrested yesterday alongside four other people on offences related to bribery, corruption and money laundering. Even though the names of the other four couldn’t be ascertained, but just after the arrest of Diezani in London, EFCC operatives who stormed her home in Abuja also stormed the home of one Jide Omokore, a business friend of hers while she held sway as oil minister.
There were reports that Omokore’s 9 Turnbull Street home in Ikoyi, was raided by EFCC operatives. His office on Glover Street, also in Ikoyi was also under lock-down by EFCC officials.
Information gotten by LEADERSHIP Weekend shows that the arrest of Diezani by the Seizure Organised Crime Agency of the United Kingdom was at the behest of the EFCC which has been working discreetly and collaborating with the UK police on investigating Diezani and several other high-profile Nigerian government officers.
Even though her passport was seized and she was released on bail after hours of questioning by the London police, she was however, mandated to report at the Charing Cross Police Station on Monday, where she will continue answering question from the Seizure Organised Crime Agency who arrested her.
The former minister is in the the books for offences related to bribery, corruption and money laundering. When contacted, the British High Commission in Nigeria confirmed that some arrests were made Friday but declined to disclose the identities of those arrested.
Joseph Abuku, Press and Public Affairs Officer, said, “This morning, five people between the ages of 21 and 60 were arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption offences. The crimes are being investigated by the National Crimes Agency.
“The National Crime Agency does not confirm identity at arrest nor provide information that could be used to corroborate the identity of an arrested individual,” he was quoted as saying.
Even though Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesperson of the EFCC refused to pick calls put through to him, nor replied text messages asking for conformation of the raid on both Deziani and Omokare’s houses, a credible source within the EFCC, who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend said “what you heard today (yesterday) was a result of careful and coordinated investigation by our commission. And I can confirm to you that more arrest will follow as we dig deeper into allegations surrounding a lot of high profile Nigerians on certain dealings.”
Asked whether they will initiate the process of extraditing her to Nigeria, the source said they will, when the London police are through with her. “The Commission will surely want to have her back in Nigeria so that we can also ask her some questions. But we will wait first and see the outcome. He also volunteered information that some officers of the EFCC will quickly proceed to the United Kingdom so they can be close and monitor proceedings.
Also, When LEADERSHIP Weekend contacted the force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, to confirm the planned extradition, the spokesman said she was not aware but would have to make some contacts and get back . As at the time of filling this report, the police PRO had not gotten back to our reporter. But a source said the police are out to carry out the plans of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the repatriation of the country’s money stolen and freighted to foreign countries.
“Yes the police played a role in the arrest of the former petroleum minister and we are making collaborative moves to extradite her into the country to face charges of corrupt enrichment and money laundering,” the source said.
Asked how soon the extradition is expected to materialise, the source said he could not yet be certain due to some of the legal processes that would clear the way for the action.
LEADERSHIP Weekend further sought clarification from the Ministry of Justice on whether officials of the ministry were aware of the arrest. A very senior official in the ministry of justice could not confirm to LEADERSHIP Weekend, if the arrest was as a result of an agreement between the government of the United Kingdom and that of Nigeria.
When asked to confirm or deny, if the government has anything to do with the arrest, he simply said he was going to make enquiries from a superior officer.
When LEADERSHIP WEEKEND put another call through to find out the true position, his mobile telephone rang severally with no one answering.
But In its reaction, the presidency said last night that the arrest of the former petroleum resources minister in London was an indication that the world is actually listening to President Muhammadu Buhari’s appeal for assistance in the ongoing war against corruption in the country.
The presidency was reacting to questions as to whether the arrest of Mrs. Alison-Madueke and four others by the British crime agency was based on its request.
When contacted by LEADERSHIP Weekend on telephone, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina simply said, “We have no information”.
The senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, however, told our correspondent that although he was not aware of any request by the presidency for Deziani’s arrest, the action taken by the British Crime Agency showed that the world was listening to President Buhari.
Shehu said, “I am not aware of any request. But you are aware of what President Buhari told world leaders at the 70th General Assembly of the United Nations; that they should assist in facilitating the return of stolen funds back to their countries of origin.
“If the arrest of the former minister has actually taken place in the U.K, then it definitely means that the world is listening to President Buhari’s call for assistance in the anti- corruption war”.
President Buhari had on Monday in New York urged world leaders heading countries where proceeds of corruption were being stashed to do more in returning the stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.
Addressing the world leaders at the UN general assembly, the Nigerian President had said, “Nigeria is ready and willing to partner with international agencies and individual countries on a bilateral basis to confront crimes and corruption.
“In particular, I call upon the global community to urgently redouble efforts towards strengthening the mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of corruption and ensuring the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin”.
As at the time of going to press, LEADERSHIP weekend found out that the Asokoro home of the former minister was still under locks by officials of the EFCC who continued searching the house.
No comments:
Post a Comment