When it comes to Nigeria, and talking about those that have been accused of one corruption or the other while occupying different public offices, when you hear names like Diezani Alison-Madueke, you don’t need to think too far before you realise that “levels dey for this corruption business.” Apart from the likes of Late Sani Abacha whose loot is still finding their ways into Nigeria, even two decades after his death, Diezani Alison-Madueke is a living legend when you are looking for one of those who have looted this nation’s commonwealth.
Diezani Alison-Madueke is a former Nigerian Oil Minister under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, a former president under whose very watch corruption became a norm, a way of life and the very manner through which government appointees operates. Corruption was so pronounced under Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to the extent that even the former first lady, his wife; Dame Patience Jonathan, had it full during her reign as the First lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Just some days ago, a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of 8.4 million dollars and N7.4 billion found in accounts linked to her. Dame is another legend within the Nigerian corruption stories whose corruption escapades stinks to the high heavens. Well, let us leave her case aside for now and focus on Diezani.
Just today, a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court ordered the interim forfeiture of jewelleries valued at about $40 million to the Nigerian government. These were jewelleries that were found in the premises of the former minister. The temporarily forfeited items include over 419 bangles, 315 rings, 304 earrings, 189 wristwatches, 267 necklaces, and a customised gold iPhone. To put it into perspective, The Cable did an excellent job by providing us with an infographics of the magnitude of what was forfeited by Diezani. See the image in the tweet below.
INFOGRAPHICS: 1,897 jewellery items worth $40m Seized from Diezani Alison-Madueke via @thecableng pic.twitter.com/JMeux8QFnN
— TheCable (@thecableng) July 5, 2019
In 2017, two properties valued at $4.7 million (about N1.5 billion) allegedly belonging to Diezani Alison-Madueke was also seized from the former rogue minister. Also in January of 2017, Premium Times reported that she forfeited a sum of $153.3 million to the Nigerian government. The seized money, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was stolen from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and stashed in three banks in Nigeria, in US dollars and Naira; Premium Times reported.
In the face of these numerous revelations and forfeitures coming from Diezani Alison-Madueke treachery alone, one can only hope that Nigeria would one day, recover from these numerous “lootery”, both in the past and the ones taking place right now. From former presidents, to former governors and ministers, the gory stories of mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds are there for everyone to see. But whether the good people of Nigeria would ever get justice from these past treacherous acts meted on them by their past leaders would be a matter for another day.
