AGF Writes UK, Requests Diezani’s Extradition Over $2.5bn Fraud

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has submitted a warrant of arrest and request to the Crown Prosecution Services of the United Kingdom for the urgent extradition of a former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

VOP News gathered that the request made on the orders of President Bola Tinubu followed a written official request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to the office of the AGF earlier in October.

A top Federal Government source revealed that in making the extradition request, the office of the AGF cited Section 2 (2) of Nigeria’s Extradition Act, CAP E25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and the London Scheme of Extradition within the Commonwealth otherwise known as “The Scheme,” a multilateral treaty which governs extradition between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

However, it was further revealed that the delay in Allison-Madueke’s extradition to Nigeria from the UK was due to an ongoing internal review of the request by the UK authorities.

The EFCC had on October 2 revealed that it had commenced the extradition of Alison-Madueke from the United Kingdom back to Nigeria over 13-count charges bordering on money laundering levelled against her by the anti-graft agency.

The commission further revealed that the money laundering charges for which Alison-Madueke is answerable to the EFCC, covered jurisdictions in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Nigeria.

The former Minister appeared before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday, over an alleged £100,000 pounds bribe.

The district judge, Michael Snow, granted Alison-Madueke a £70,000 bail.

Justice Snow further imposed other terms on Alison-Madueke, including an 11 pm to 6 am curfew, an electronic tag to be worn by her at all times and a £70,000 surety to be paid before she could leave the court building.