File photo: Diezani Alison-Madueke, then Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Resources and Alternate President of the OPEC Conference, speaks to journalists prior to the start of a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) at their headquarters in Vienna on June 11, 2014. (Photo by Joe Klamar / AFP)
Former OPEC president Diezani Alison-Madueke was charged with bribery offenses in the UK, after an investigation by the country’s National Crime Agency.
Alison-Madueke, 63, is accused of accepting bribes during her time as Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum Resources in exchange for oil and gas contracts, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
The former minister is alleged to have benefited from at least £100,000 ($127,300) in cash as well as flights on private jets and luxury holidays.
A lawyer for Alison-Madueke in Nigeria couldn’t immediately comment.
"We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million pound contracts,” Andy Kelly, the head of the NCAs’ international corruption unit, said.
Alison-Madueke, who lives in north London, is alleged to have accepted furniture, renovation work and staff at the properties, as well as the payment of private school fees.
