Court orders EFCC, DSS to arrest ex petroleum minister, Diezani within 72 hours

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to arrest the former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke within 72 hours.

According to The Cable, the order was issued by Justice Valentine Ashi based on a motion filed by the counsel to the EFCC, Msuur Denga.

Denga had earlier prayed the court to issue a warrant for the former minister’s arrest to enable the anti-graft agency arraign her in court.

Diezani asks FG to bring her back

In 2017, Diezani filed an application before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja asking to be joined as defendant in the trial of businessman Jide Omokore.

According to reports, Omokore, the Chairman of Atlantic Energy Brass Development and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept was a business partner of the former minister.

Speaking on the application, her lawyer said it is important that she comes back to Nigeria to defend the allegations levelled against her.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami however dismissed the request, saying it is not in the government’s plan to repatriate Diezani.

The former minister had sought the court to compel the Nigerian government to bring her back to Nigeria.

Trouble in the UK

According to reports, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has also dragged Diezani to court, and according to Malami, “it is important for Diezani to face the charges there than for her to come as a mere witness in a case in Nigeria.

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“The issue is not about fair hearing now, we are talking about investigation first and it is not within Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke’s power to ask the federal government to bring her to testify in any case in Nigeria".

Diezani Alison-Madueke reportedly fled the country when Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 presidential election.