Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, has denied ownership of the recently repatriated $52.8 million, which had been linked to her in media reports. The former minister, who has been residing in the United Kingdom since her tenure in office, issued a statement clarifying that the funds do not belong to her.
In a statement released through her legal counsel, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Alison-Madueke strongly rejected the claims associating her with the funds, terming them a “mischievous and cruel sport” aimed at tarnishing her reputation. She explained that the $52.8 million came from the sale of a vessel, the Galactica, which was seized by the U.S. government from Nigerian oil magnate Kola Aluko.
Alison-Madueke emphasized that the yacht was not connected to her in any way, asserting that it was purchased by Aluko and used by him until the forfeiture agreement with the United States. The proceeds from the sale of the Galactica were then returned to the Nigerian government, and she clarified that she had no involvement in the vessel’s purchase, use, or sale.
“This is a clear example of the mischievous and cruel sport of tarnishing my image through a persistent cocktail of falsehoods and misinformation,” Alison-Madueke said in the statement. “The so-called ‘Diezani Loot’ is a fabrication. I had no connection to the yacht or the funds repatriated to Nigeria.”
The $52.8 million was part of a broader effort by the U.S. to seize assets linked to corruption. The funds were repatriated to Nigeria in the wake of an international investigation into Aluko’s alleged illicit activities.
Alison-Madueke’s statement comes amid growing public scrutiny and false reports that have linked her to the funds. She urged those spreading defamatory information to cease, stating that they should find better ways to occupy their time.
“I advise those peddling these unfounded narratives about me to leave me alone,” she concluded.
