UK Jury Clears Diezani Alison-Madueke of All Corruption Charges

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all bribery and corruption charges by a jury in the United Kingdom, bringing an end to a high-profile legal battle that lasted more than a decade.

The verdict was delivered at Southwark Crown Court in London, where Alison-Madueke had been standing trial on five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. British prosecutors alleged that she received luxury benefits, including expensive properties, shopping trips, and other privileges from oil industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria’s oil sector between 2010 and 2015.

However, after months of hearings and jury deliberations, the court found her not guilty on all charges. Alison-Madueke consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the trial, maintaining that she neither solicited nor accepted bribes and that her actions as petroleum minister followed due proceess

The former minister, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan and was also the first woman to lead the petroleum ministry and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, described the verdict as the end of an 11-year ordeal.

The acquittal is being viewed as a significant setback for British anti-corruption authorities, who launched investigations into the former minister’s activities in 2015. Legal analysts say the outcome highlights the challenges prosecutors face when pursuing complex international corruption cases involving political and business elites.

Also cleared alongside Alison-Madueke were oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, who had faced related charges during the trial.

The verdict marks a major development in one of the most closely watched corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official. While the UK criminal case has now ended in acquittal, the judgment is expected to reignite debate over accountability, anti-corruption efforts, and the long-running investigations linked to Nigeria’s oil sector.

1960 Republic reports that the ruling closes a significant chapter in the UK prosecution of the former minister, whose name has remained at the centre of corruption allegations and asset recovery efforts for more than a decade.