A London court has heard detailed allegations of how Nigeria’s former petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke allegedly funded an extravagant lifestyle through bribes from industry executives during her tenure from 2010 to 2015.
Southwark Crown Court prosecutors presented evidence showing how business figures with interests in Nigerian oil contracts allegedly bankrolled Alison-Madueke’s luxury shopping sprees across London’s most exclusive stores. The 65-year-old former minister, who denies five counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, was described as living ‘a life of luxury in the United Kingdom’ at the expense of Nigerian businessmen.
The court heard remarkable details of her spending patterns, including a single visit to Harrods in November 2013 where she allegedly purchased thousands of pounds worth of luxury rugs, including items from designer Alexander McQueen. Store executives testified that she appeared ‘extremely glamorous’ and wore ‘very expensive clothing’ during these shopping excursions.
Evidence presented revealed Alison-Madueke was a regular customer at high-end London establishments including Vincenzo Cafferella decorative arts store, where she used the pseudonym ‘Sharon D,’ and Thomas Goode china and silverware shop in Mayfair. According to testimony, she once remarked during a shopping session: ‘I don’t even know why I’m buying this, I haven’t got the room for it.’
Prosecutors allege Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, who accompanied her on shopping trips, purchased over £370,000 worth of items for the minister between October 2012 and November 2013 alone. The court heard that Alison-Madueke never personally paid for these purchases, with bills instead settled by businessmen whose companies held lucrative contracts with Nigeria’s state-owned petroleum corporation.
The alleged corruption extended beyond retail therapy. Evidence included a £89,410 private jet charter from Luton to Lagos in January 2012, luxury furniture shipments from Houston, Texas to London properties, and a documented instance where £100,000 in cash was delivered to Alison-Madueke at a flat maintained at Aluko’s expense.
Recorded conversations from Alison-Madueke’s seized phone revealed tense exchanges with Aluko as their relationship deteriorated. In one May 2014 conversation, she allegedly threatened: ‘I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself… I will come out and tell the Nigerian people this is what happened.’
Also on trial are industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, charged with bribery related to Alison-Madueke, and her brother, former bishop Doye Agama, charged with conspiracy to commit bribery. Both deny the charges as the trial continues.