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| Deizani Allison-Madueke |
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 Alison-Madueke on Friday in connection with offences bordering on fraud and bribery.
The Spokesman for the UK High Commission in Abuja, Joe Abuku, confirmed to our correspondent that five persons were arrested by the agency.
He, however, did not disclose their identities.
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 Diezani 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 Diezani is being quizzed over allegations of bribery and fraud by the UK police.”
Investigations revealed that the EFCC dispatched a team of crack investigators to the residence of Alison-Madueke at Frederick Chiluba Avenue, Asokoro, moments after the commission was alerted that the investigation had commenced in the UK, where the ex-petroleum minister has been holed up since leaving office in May.
It was learnt that the EFCC operatives were still combing her residence as of the time of filing this report.
A family relation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrest of Alison-Madueke 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 repeated calls to his mobile telephone line indicated that it was either switched off or in an area outside network coverage.
Culled by Ike Onwubuya from the Punch
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