The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has disclosed that United Kingdom (UK) Government turned down its request to extradite former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The Head of National Central Bureau (NCB), Interpol, Abuja, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Garba Baba Umar, said this on the sidelines of an investigative hearing by the House of Representative Adhoc committee to investigate the alleged illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil.
Umar told the Committee, chaired by Hon Mark Gbillah, that all processes of mutual legal assistance (MLA) were followed but the government refused.
According to him, Madueke also went to court in the UK to check the Nigerian system.
Umar said his efforts led to the arrests of former head of pension funds, Abdulrasheed Maina and the former attorney general of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, who were brought back to face criminal prosecution.
He said, “In respect of assistance Mr Chairman, seeking for assistance, just like what happened if you remember we repatriated many Nigerians who were alleged to have swindled the Nigerian government.
“I went personally and brought Maina from Niger. I brought the former Attorney General of the Federation from Dubai and many other Nigerians who absconded. We brought them back to face justice and those who are in Nigeria hiding we took them back to their various countries to face justice.”
Responding to a question on not mentioning Diezani as one of his success stories, he said, “The issue of Diezani, a warrant of arrest is issued. I am sorry to say the government of the UK turned down our request. We followed the MLA. You can check. That is mutual legal assistance to bring her back home. She went to court because according to them they have a system where they check our….let me not go there,” he said.
(Nation)
