BREAKING: “Why Nigerian Govt Is Yet to Prosecute Diezani,” Top Lawyer Speaks

A senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former EFCC prosecutor, Wahab Shittu, has highlighted the challenge before the federal government in the quest to extradite ex-minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for trial.

FG to receive $52.88 million linked to Diezani

Shittu spoke on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, monitored by Legit.ng on Friday, January 10, 2025.

He reacted to the American government’s return of $52.88 million in recovered assets to Nigeria.

The recoveries were linked to a former Nigerian minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her associates.

What Shtiiu said about Diezani’s extradition

According to Shittu, “legal and extra-legal hurdles” remain a significant challenge in the extradition of the ex-minister for prosecution back home.

Explaining further, the Offa born legal luminary from Kwara state said:

“You know the extradition procedures of getting somebody who has taken flight from one country to another involve legal compliance procedures that must be satisfied before someone can be extradited to Nigeria.

“There are judicial procedures and international administrative protocols that must be complied with.

“Successive Nigerian governments, particularly this administration, are making efforts to ensure Diezani is brought back to face her trials. However, legal and extra-legal hurdles remain a significant challenge.

“These challenges demonstrate the complexity of international justice systems adding that “but efforts must continue until justice is served.”

Alison-Madueke, who was Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015, is charged with receiving bribes in the form of cash, luxury goods, flights on private jets and the use of high-end properties in Britain in return for awarding oil contracts.

But she was granted a £70,000 bail in the United Kingdom (UK) court over a £100,000 bribery allegation.

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Breaking: US govt returns ex-minister Diezani’s $52.88 million assets to Nigeria, details emerge

The former minister appeared before Michael Snow of the Westminster Magistrates Court in the UK on Monday, October 2, 2023, where she was granted bail.

Did Diezani beg Tinubu to return to Nigeria?

Diezani, who served in Goodluck Jonathan’s government, fled Nigeria in 2015 and has been in the United Kingdom (UK).

The erstwhile minister said she did not grant any interview recently and described the report as “fake” and “concocted.”