Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has journeyed to London to demonstrate support for former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is currently standing trial on corruption charges.
In a statement reflecting the group's stance, Okaba declared: "Diezani Alison-Madueke is our daughter. We're here to tell the world that she's not alone. We are praying for her and bothered over her trial."
The visit is a show of ethnic and regional solidarity from the Ijaw community, as Alison-Madueke, a prominent figure from the Niger Delta region, faces proceedings at Southwark Crown Court. She has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Prosecutors allege that during her tenure as petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015, she received luxury benefits, including high-end properties, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet travel, significant cash sums, and millions spent on shopping at Harrods, in exchange for influencing lucrative oil and gas contracts awarded by Nigerian state entities.
Alison-Madueke's defense team has strongly denied the allegations, asserting that she did not request or receive bribes, that any expenditures on her behalf were reimbursed in Nigeria, and that she acted merely as a "rubber stamp" for official recommendations rather than wielding decisive influence over contract awards.
The high-profile trial, which opened in late January 2026, continues to draw significant attention both in Nigeria and internationally, reviving discussions on corruption, accountability, and the use of foreign jurisdictions to pursue cases involving former officials.
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