How Diezani ‘Secured Foreign Country’s Citizenship, Political Appointment To Escape EFCC Arrest’

Erstwhile Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, reportedly plotted and secured a foreign country’s citizenship and political appointment in order to secure immunity from being prosecuted by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former minister, who served under then President Goodluck Jonathan, was said to have carefully planned and obtained the citizenship of the Commonwealth of the Dominican Republic, which subsequently appointed her as a Trade and Investment Commissioner in that country.

To show that the appointment and offer of citizenship did not come by happenstance, Diezani’s offer and acceptance were purportedly completed a few days before she left office on June 1, 2015, barely two days before the expiration of her tenure on May 29, 2015.

Diezani is awaiting trial for sundry allegations of corruption, including fraudulent ownership of 76 properties in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, valued at about N23 billion. Besides, she has a 14-count charge bordering on stealing and concealment of $153 million already preferred against her by the EFCC.

AllNews recalls that the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu was recently in the news, asking Nigerians in the Diaspora to put pressure on the United Kingdom to release Madueke to face trial over corruption allegations in Nigeria. Magu reportedly made the plea during a virtual town hall meeting with Nigerians in Diaspora.

The latest report is based on documents obtained by Saturday Vanguard, which showed how Diezani perfected arrangements with the Office of the Prime Minister, Commonwealth of Dominica and lobbied to be appointed as Trade and investment Commissioner with effect from June 1, 2015.

The lobby actually worked with the newspaper reporting that in a letter dated May 29, 2015 and signed by Prime Minister Roosevelt Kerry, Diezani was offered not only the citizenship of Dominica, a Caribbean island, but also an appointment as Trade and Investment Commissioner.

The offer is said to also entail the issuance of a Diplomatic Passport on May 21, 2015 , with an expiry date of May 20, 2020, to the former powerful and influential minister, now cooling off in the United Kingdom.

Although the diplomatic visa expired on May 20 this year, she is said to be immune from arrest and prosecution by any law enforcement agency, including the Interpol. This is due to the fact that the 32-page diplomatic passport contains a restraining order against any arrest or prosecution.

According to the immunity order, “The President of the Commonwealth of Dominica requests and requires in the name of the Government of Dominica all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary”.

In the appointment letter issued by Prime Minister Kerry, Diezani was assigned the task of “directing promotion and marketing of Dominica as a trade and investment domicile, as well as an emerging and unique tourist destination in the Caribbean”.

Kerry’s letter reads in part, “I envisage you playing an active role in the coordination of road shows and trade and investment expositions, as well as providing facilitator services to businessmen interested in investing or doing business with the Caribbean region. Dominica is ideally placed and equipped to serve as the perfect hub for such commercial activities in this region”.