Diezani and 5 Nigerian politicians who have been dragged to courts abroad

On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA) charged the former Minister of Petroleum with bribery offences.

The agency said it suspected that "Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts."

The former minister will appear in court on October 2, 2023, and if she is convicted, she will be the second woman on the list of Nigerian politicians who have been jailed in the United Kingdom.

Here are five other Nigerian politicians who have been charged to court abroad for various crimes.

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha

The late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was the first Nigerian politician to be arrested in the UK after the return of democracy in 1999.

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha ece-auto-gen

The former Governor of Bayelsa State from 1999 to 2005 was arrested at the London Heathrow Airport by the Metropolitan Police on Thursday, September 15, 2005, on suspicion of money laundering.

Though he was arrested in the UK, Alamieyeseigha did not serve any jail term in the country. While facing money-laundering charges, the ex-governor jumped bail and bolted to Nigeria in December.

According to reports, Alamieyeseigha fooled the UK border officials by disguising as a woman to escape from the country. Shortly after his return to Nigeria, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly impeached him.

James Ibori

James Ibori was Governor of Delta State from 1999 to 2007.

Former Governor of Delta State, James Onanefe Ibori. [Daily Mail] ece-auto-gen

Ibori who had been convicted of stealing from a DIY store in London in 1991 was arrested in Dubai in 2010 for money laundering and was extradited to the UK.

According to the BBC, the UK police took an interest in Ibori again in 2005 after they came across a purchase order for a private jet, made through his solicitor in London.

After pleading guilty to fraud and money laundering, the ex-convict-turn-politician was sentenced to a 13-year in prison.

Ike Ekweremadu

In May 2023, the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, United Kingdom sentenced former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, to nine years and eight months jail term for organ trafficking.

The former Deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu will spend nearly 9 years in prison. Pulse Nigeria

The politician, his wife and a medical doctor were handed jail terms for plotting to harvest a kidney for his sick daughter, Sonia from a 21-year-old Lagos street trader they 'trafficked' to the UK.

Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, at Heathrow Airport by the Metropolitan Police in London.

Abidemi Rufai

Following his conviction of wire fraud and identity theft, Abidemi Rufai, a former senior special assistant to Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State, was sentenced to five years imprisonment in the United States.

Abidemi Rufai arrested in New York for fraud, reportedly works with the Ogun State Govt (Facebook page of Abidemi Rufai) Abidemi Rufai arrested in New York for fraud, reportedly works with the Ogun State Govt (Facebook page of Abidemi Rufai) Pulse Nigeria

The politician was handed his jail term on Monday, September 26, 2023, by the District Court in Western Tacoma in Washington having defrauded 12 US agencies of $600,000.

Rufai who was arrested at New York's JFK airport in May 2021, agreed to pay full restitution of $604,260 to the defrauded agencies as part of his plea agreement.

Josephine Iyamu

Josephine Iyamu was contesting for Edo State House of Assembly when she was convicted of sex trafficking by a US court in 2018.

Josephine Iyamu was convicted in 2018. [NDTV] Pulse Nigeria

According to the BBC, Iyamu was found guilty of trafficking Nigerian women into Germany to work as prostitutes after subjecting them to "voodoo" rituals.

Iyamu who became a British citizen in 2009, was jailed for 16 years at Birmingham Crown Court in July 2018.

She was the first British national to be convicted under the Modern Slavery Act for offences committed outside the UK.

While Iyamu, Ekweremadu and Rufa are still serving their jail terms, Ibori completed his 13-year sentence in December 2016.

Alamieyeseigha died of complications arising from high blood pressure and diabetes on Saturday, October 10, 2015, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.