By Louis Achi
Former minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has been named in the criminal charges levelled against Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
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.
In the court process, Kachikwu was reportedly mentioned alongside Benedict Peters, Aiteo chief executive officer (CEO) and Haruna Momoh, a former managing director of pipelines and product marketing company (PPMC).
Nigerians mentioned as defendants in the court process are Olatimbo Bukola Ayinde and Doye Agama.
According to the court process, Ayinde allegedly bribed Kachikwu in August 2015 “with the intention of influencing his capacity as a foreign public official” when Kachikwu was group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
The document added that the act was contrary to sections 6 and 11 of the Bribery Act 2010.
Alison-Madueke appeared before a Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday but did not take her plea.
Michael Snow, the district judge, granted her bail in the sum of £70,000.
Snow, however, imposed other conditions on the former minister after deeming her “a flight risk”.
The conditions include an 11 pm to 6 am curfew, an electronic tag to be worn at all times and a £70,000 surety to be paid before she could leave the court building.
Meanwhile, the former minister is also being investigated over allegations of bribery and money laundering in Nigeria.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had alleged that Alison-Madueke stole $2.5 billion from Nigeria’s coffers when she was a minister.
She has denied all allegations levelled against her.
Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, said the commission has obtained a warrant of arrest and initiated extradition proceedings against the former minister.
