Currently facing several corruption charges including allegation of $20bn missing oil money, Ms Alison-Madueke was arrested by the UK's NCA along with four others last October. She is currently out on bail awaiting trial and a sum of £27,000 was seized from her at the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In further pursuance of her case, the NCA has sent a seven-man team to Nigeria to uncover more evidence of her alleged crimes. These British detectives, comprising of four women and three men, are believed to be in Nigeria as part of efforts to build a solid case in order to begin the ex-minister’s trial next year.
One of the ex-minister’s allies being interrogated by the UK detectives was Donald Chidi Amamgbo, a California-based lawyer and Jide Omokore, who is currently on bail after the EFCC arrested and charged him with fraud. Mr Amamgbo was reportedly detained by the EFCC, and later granted administrative bail.
In addition, the UK investigative team is also expected to interrogate several oil dealers who were close to Ms Alison-Madueke and who played one role or another in a web of international financial crimes during the former minister’s tenure. It is believed that they are looking into close to 20 cases against Ms Alison-Madueke.
However, the case that has the most traction has to do with how the former minister’s alleged use of straw companies to launder billions of dollars. Some of the alleged laundered funds were used to purchase 17 properties in the UK and elsewhere.
Also, it is alleged that the oil dealers under investigation reportedly offered large payoffs to Ms Alison-Madueke for oil swap deals. Many of the payoffs were said to have been wired to Mr Amamgbo.
Ms Alison-Madueke is currently in the UK undergoing treatment for cancer. Last year, the NCA had confiscated some funds from the former minister, her mother, and the wife of a Ghanaian businessman, Kevin Okyere, who is also named in a series of shady deals involving Ms Alison-Madueke.
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