£27,000 Seize Not Related To Alison-Madueke’s UK Arrest

The United Kingdom, UK, National Crime Agency has said that the £27,000 (N9,180,000) seized from the former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was not related to her arrest.

Apart from the £27,000 recovered from the former minister, ‘smaller sums’ were also seized from two other individuals, whose names were withheld.

On why it had not revealed the identities of those arrested along with the former minister, the agency made it clear that it does not confirm the identities of individuals it arrests unless there was specific operational requirement to do so.

A was sent out to the UK enquiring about the case, NCA’s mail

The agency replied yesterday, saying: “We can confirm that £27,000 was seized from Diezani Alison-Madueke at Westminster Magistrate’s Court along with smaller sums from two other individuals. But we are not providing any further detail at this time.

“Cash seizure in the UK does not need to be related to an arrest. The NCA does not confirm identities of individuals at arrest, unless there is a specific operational requirement to do so.

“There is no further information we are offering at this time.”

The agency skipped discussion on when the Nigerians, now on bail in the UK, would be formally charged for money laundering and bribery, fuelling speculations that the agency had not completed their findings.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied arresting one of the oil players in the country, identified as a close business associate of the former oil minister and Atlantic Energy Chairman, Olajide Omokore.