Former Minister of Petroleum, Alison-Madueke, has been found not guilty of all bribery charges brought against her in a high-profile corruption trial held in London.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court after jurors spent more than 46 hours considering the evidence presented during the lengthy proceedings.
The decision marks a significant moment in a case that has attracted global attention and remained under scrutiny for more than a decade.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, had faced six charges.
The allegations included five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Throughout the trial, Alison-Madueke consistently denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutors had alleged that she enjoyed a lavish lifestyle in London funded by individuals in the oil and gas sector who were seeking access to lucrative contracts in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
However, the former minister maintained that she neither accepted bribes nor exercised direct influence over the awarding of government contracts. Her defence team argued that the allegations against her were not supported by sufficient evidence.
Following weeks of testimony and legal arguments, the jury ultimately returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on all six counts against Alison-Madueke.
The case also involved oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who was accused of bribery offences linked to the former minister. Ayinde denied the allegations and was cleared of all charges by the court.
In addition, Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, stood trial on allegations of conspiracy to commit bribery related to purported payments connected to his church. Agama also rejected the accusations and was acquitted alongside the other defendants.
The ruling represents a major development in one of the most closely watched corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
Investigations into the allegations had been ongoing for more than ten years, making the trial a significant test of the evidence gathered by British authorities.
Alison-Madueke, who also served as President of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during her time in office, leaves the courtroom cleared of all criminal charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
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The acquittal is expected to generate reactions across Nigeria’s political and energy sectors, where Alison-Madueke remains one of the most prominent and controversial figures of the past decade.
With the jury’s decision now on record, the long-running legal chapter surrounding Alison-Madueke and the bribery allegations in London has come to a close, bringing an end to a case that has been closely followed both in Nigeria and internationally.
