Immediate
past petroleum minister, Deizani Alison-Madueke, was on Friday arrested
in London by the United Kingdom National Crime Agency.
Investigations
revealed that the UK Police picked up Allison-Maduekwe on Friday in
relation with offences bordering on fraud and bribery.
The
Spokesman for the UK High Commission in Abuja, Joe Abuku, confirmed to
one of our correspondents that five persons were arrested by the
agency.
It was
gathered that the Seizure Organised Crime Agency within the National
Crimes Agency of the UK arrested Deziani and are probing the allegations
against her.
It was
further learnt that Deziani was picked up by operatives of the SOCA at
the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which has
been discretely probing her.
The
PUNCH investigations 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.
A source
said, “It is true that the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.
Deziani 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 issues.
“I can tell you that Deziani 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 the residence of Allison-Maduekwe’s resident at Frederick Chiluba
Avenue, Asokoro, moments after the commission was alerted that the
investigation had commenced from the UK’s end.
It was
further gathered that the EFCC operatives were still ransacking her
residence as of the time of filing this report at 6.30pm.
A family
relation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrest
of Allison-Maduekwe to our correspondent on Friday.
Our
correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC,
Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, to comment on the issue as the repeated calls to
his mobile telephone line indicated that it was either switched off or
in an area outside network coverage.
Welcome to bikwasblog.