The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered jewelry worth over £2m, about N593m from the immediate past Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke and the wife of one of her “point men”, Jide Omokore, who’s also an ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
A top EFCC official told disclosed that they also recovered a
Diezani is facing various graft allegations, including the “missing” $20billion oil money, among other deals executed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under her watch.
She was interrogated at the Charing Cross Police Station last year when the UK National Crime Agency nabbed her on allegations of bribery and money laundering. She was granted bail by the Westminster Magistrate’s Court after seizing her passport and £27,000 cash.
Jewelry valued at £1.4million (N407million) was also recovered from Omokore’s wife after operatives raided her residence in Lagos, the EFCC official said.
Omokore is the chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited who was recently questioned by the EFCC in connection with multi-billion dollar petrol import and crude export deals.
His company was allegedly awarded controlling stakes in two oil blocks – OML 30 and 34 – for just over $50m each, without due process by the Jonathan administration.
We are in the era of change, and it must start with looters returning our money and going to prison.