Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has broken her silence following her acquittal by a United Kingdom court, saying the verdict marks the end of a long legal battle but not the final chapter of her journey.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that a jury at Southwark Crown Court found the 65-year-old not guilty of six counts of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery.
Alison-Madueke had been accused of receiving kickbacks from oil and gas executives in exchange for awarding lucrative contracts during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015.
In a statement released through her aide, Bolouere Opukiri, the former minister described the verdict as the end of more than a decade of what she called unjust vilification and intense public scrutiny.
She thanked her legal team, family, and friends for standing by her throughout the 11-year legal process, saying their support helped her endure the difficult period.
Expressing gratitude to God, Alison-Madueke said she was relieved that her name had been cleared and the lengthy legal ordeal had finally come to an end.
However, she indicated that she intends to speak further about the experience in the future.
“This, however, is not the final chapter. In due course, I shall address this difficult period in greater detail and share my intentions for the future. For now, I intend to embrace the freedom that has been unjustly denied me for many years,” she said.