From Suleiman Abubakar MAPSA
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has refuted allegations linking her to $52.8 million recently repatriated to Nigeria from the United States.
Speaking through her legal counsel, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Alison-Madueke denied owning the funds, which she claimed were proceeds from a vessel seized from Nigerian oil magnate Kola Aluko by the U.S. government.
In a press statement titled "There is No Such Thing as Diezani Loot," Ozekhome described the allegations as part of a sustained campaign to tarnish Alison-Madueke’s reputation.
The statement emphasized that the former minister was neither involved in the purchase nor forfeiture of the yacht "Galactica," which was linked to Aluko.
The statement further clarified that Aluko, a businessman with established ventures before Alison-Madueke's tenure, had forfeited the yacht to U.S. authorities, with the subsequent proceeds repatriated to Nigeria.
The legal team expressed concern over what they described as a pattern of "vilification" and "falsehoods" targeting the former minister, urging the public and media to allow ongoing legal processes in the United Kingdom to proceed without bias.
The statement concluded with a plea for fair treatment, insisting that Alison-Madueke had not been found guilty of any wrongdoing in Nigeria or abroad and should not be subjected to undue defamation.
