Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has denied allegations of bribery, telling a London court that her lifestyle in the United Kingdom was funded through official government channels rather than personal gain.
Testifying on Monday at Southwark Crown Court, Alison-Madueke said she neither solicited nor received bribes during her tenure as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources. She maintained that payments made on her behalf while in the UK were linked strictly to her official responsibilities.
“I did not receive bribes,” she told the court, insisting that expenses incurred during her time in office were covered by Nigeria’s state oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), as part of her role.
Prosecutors have alleged that the former minister benefited from illicit payments and luxury arrangements during her time in office. However, Alison-Madueke rejected the claims, describing the expenditures as legitimate and reimbursed by the government.
She explained that her position required frequent international travel and high-level engagements, which, she said, justified the costs covered on her behalf.
The case, being heard in London, is part of a broader investigation into alleged corruption involving senior Nigerian officials during her tenure. Alison-Madueke has consistently denied wrongdoing.
