Operatives of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have taken over the residence of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in Asokoro, Abuja.
The operatives stormed Alison-Madueke’s residence yesterday shortly after she was arrested by the police in the United Kingdom.
The EFCC officials, who were fully armed, were sighted in two buses at the gate of the residence as of 8pm on Friday.
They had earlier stormed the place with three trucks, one of which was marked 'police'.
Earlier, the former minister was arrested by the operatives of the National Crime Agency in London, the United Kingdom.
Investigations revealed that Alison-Madueke was arrested in relation to offences bordering on fraud and bribery.
The Spokesman for the UK High Commission in Abuja, Joe Abuku, confirmed that five persons were arrested by the agency.
The International Corruption Unit of the NCA, on its website, also confirmed the arrest of five people across London as part of an investigation into suspected bribery and money laundering activities.
The ICU is mainly responsible for investigating international corruption affecting developing countries.
It was also gathered that her arrest was connected with her alleged mismanagement of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and missing funds in the corporation.
It was learnt that the Seizure Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) within the National Crimes Agency of the UK was responsible for arresting Alison-Madueke over the ongoing probe of allegations against her.
It was also learnt that Alison-Madueke was picked up by operatives of the SOCA at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which had also been probing her in Nigeria, discreetly.
Findings revealed that the SOCA has a working agreement with the EFCC in the area of investigation of allegations of financial crimes and proceeds of such crimes.
The source said, “It is true that the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Maduake, has been arrested by the UK’s National Crimes Agency, not the Metropolitan Police.
“There is an agency within the National Crimes Agency called the Seizures Organised Crimes Agency. She was actually arrested by operatives of SOCA because the agency has a working agreement with the EFCC.
“We have been cooperating with SOCA on a number of issues. “I can tell you that Diezani is being quizzed over allegations of bribery and fraud by the UK police.”
Investigations further revealed that the EFCC dispatched a team of crack investigators to Alison-Madueke’s residence at Frederick Chiluba Avenue, Asokoro, Abuja, moments after the commission was alerted that the investigation had commenced from the UK’s end.
It was further learnt that the EFCC operatives were still searching her residence as of the time of filing this report.
A relation of Alison-Madueke, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed her arrest.
A source at the EFCC confirmed to The Cable, that the commission carried out a raid on Friday at the residence of the former minister.
The raid took place just few minutes after the ICU arrested the former minister, the report stated.
“The raid on her [Alison-Madueke] residence today (Friday) yielded vital information that will help in the prosecution of the case. Many agencies across several countries are involved in this investigation. Anti-money laundering agencies in Austria, France, Switzerland, Nigeria and the UK are working together on it,” the source was quoted to have stated.
The former petroleum resources minister’s arrest came two days after President Muhammadu Buhari announced himself as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum.
He had vowed to recover all looted funds worth several millions of dollars that were allegedly stolen in the petroleum ministry under the watch of Alison-Madueke, who had become an object of attacks from Nigerians over scandals that rocked the ministry during the former administration.
Meanwhile, EFCC operatives also stormed the home of Jide Omokore, one of her business allies while she was the oil minister.
Omokore owns SPOG and Atlantic Energy and is stated to be involved in multi-billion dollar oil deals, including kerosene scam that denied Nigeria’s treasury by over $6bn.
It was reported by Sahara Reporters that Omokore’s 9 Turnbull Street home in Ikoyi, Lagos and his Glover Street, Ikoyi office were raided by the EFCC operatives.
It was, however, learnt that the former minister was granted bail hours after she was detained by the ICU.
A report by Channels TV stated that the London Police confirmed that she had been charged to court for money laundering and she’s expected to appear at the Charing Cross Police Station for questioning on Monday.