ads
Diezani Was Arrested In London Due To EFCC’s Request
Immediate past petroleum minister, Deizani Alison-Madueke, was on
Friday arrested in London by the United Kingdom National Crime
Agency.
Investigations revealed that the UK Police picked up Alison-Madueke on
Friday in connection with offences bordering on fraud and bribery.
The Spokesman for the UK High Commission in Abuja, Joe Abuku,
confirmed to our correspondent that five persons were arrested by the
agency.
He, however, did not disclose their identities.
It was gathered that the Seizure Organised Crime Agency within the
National Crimes Agency of the UK arrested Deziani and are probing the
allegations against her.
It was further learnt that Diezani was picked up by operatives of the
SOCA at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission which has been discretely probing her.
The PUNCH investigations revealed that the SOCA has a working
agreement with the EFCC in the area of investigation of allegations of
financial crimes and proceeds of such crimes.
A source said, “It is true that the former Minister of Petroleum
Resources, Mrs. Deziani has been arrested by the UK’s National Crimes
Agency, not the Metropolitan Police.
“There is an agency within the National Crimes Agency called the
Seizures Organised Crimes Agency. She was actually arrested by
operatives of SOCA because the agency has a working agreement with
the EFCC. We have been cooperating with SOCA on a number issues.
“I can tell you that Diezani is being quizzed over allegations of bribery
and fraud by the UK police.”
Investigations revealed that the EFCC dispatched a team of crack
investigators to the residence of Alison-Madueke at Frederick Chiluba
Avenue, Asokoro, moments after the commission was alerted that the
investigation had commenced in the UK, where the ex-petroleum
minister has been holed up since leaving office in May.
It was learnt that the EFCC operatives were still combing her residence
as of the time of filing this report.
A family relation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the
arrest of Alison-Madueke to our correspondent on Friday.
Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the
EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, to comment on the issue as repeated calls
to his mobile telephone line indicated that it was either switched off or in
an area outside network coverage