Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the federal high court Abuja has issued an order for the arrest of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
At Monday’s hearing, Farouk Abdullah, counsel to EFCC had made an application for the arrest of the ex-minister. He claimed all efforts by the Commission to extradite her have been unsuccessful.
The judge who granted the request made by EFCC adjourned the matter pending the arrest of the ex-minister.
When the matter was called up in court, Abdullah made an oral application requesting a warrant for the arrest of Mrs Allison- Madueke.
He told the court that efforts made by the commission in extraditing Mrs Allison- Madueke to stand trial were never successful hence, the oral application for an arrest warrant.
He said the warrant was necessary to enable the international police (INTERPOL) to bring back the defendant to answer for the charges preferred against her.
Abdullah noted that the arrest warrant was part of the requirement by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for the extradition.
It is the second arrest warrant to be issued against the ex-minister, who is believed to have fled to the United Kingdom since leaving office in 2015.
On December 4, 2018, a judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Valentine Ashi (now deceased), ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Police Force, the States Security Service (SSS), and all other security agencies to arrest her within 72 hours.
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