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, disclosed this on the sidelines of an investigative hearing by the House of Representative Ad hoc 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 UK government refused.
Umar also added that Mrs. Madueke also went to court in the UK to block Nigeria’s request.
Umar said his efforts led to the arrests of former head of pension reforms task force, Abdulrasheed Maina and the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, who were brought back to face criminal prosecution in Nigeria.
“In respect of assistance Mr. Chairman, seeking ssistance, 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 Republic. 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,” Umar further said.
Responding to a question about not mentioning Deziani as one of his success stories, Umar 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.