General News
Key Testimonies Under Scrutiny in Diezani’s UK Trial
The bribery trial of former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, has entered a critical phase as defence lawyers challenge the reliability of key prosecution witnesses.
The proceedings, taking place at Southwark Crown Court, centre on five counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Prosecutors allege that during her time in office, Allison-Madueke received expensive gifts and luxury benefits from figures in the oil sector in exchange for influencing official decisions.
Jurors have heard claims of high-value shopping sprees in exclusive parts of London, including purchases allegedly worth more than £2 million. However, recent cross-examinations have brought forward inconsistencies that could complicate the Crown’s case.
One of the prosecution’s main witnesses, Sandro Rocha, a former driver to Nigerian businessman Kola Aluko, testified that he transported large amounts of cash and frequently drove Allison-Madueke to properties associated with Aluko in London. He also stated that on one occasion, he drove her alongside former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.
Under questioning by the defence, Rocha admitted that his memory of events between 2009 and 2014 was “patchy.” He further acknowledged that he relied entirely on a witness statement prepared by officers of the National Crime Agency.
When confronted with documentary inconsistencies, Rocha conceded that parts of his earlier testimony were “most likely wrong,” including claims relating to Allison-Madueke’s alleged presence at certain properties and references to her mother being seen at a construction site.
His admission that investigators drafted his statement has drawn attention to witness preparation standards outlined by the Crown Prosecution Service, which caution against coaching or shaping witness evidence.
In a separate strand of testimony, Amina Hamila, a Private Client Manager at Harrods, provided evidence regarding luxury purchases allegedly linked to Allison-Madueke. The court heard that she was classified as a “Black Tier” client, a status granting access to exclusive shopping privileges.
However, under cross-examination, Hamila acknowledged that transaction records, when compared with Allison-Madueke’s immigration history and passport data, showed that significant purchases attributed to her occurred at times when she was not in the United Kingdom.
She also confirmed that Allison-Madueke did not physically present a payment card for the transactions in question. Instead, Harrods’ internal records listed Kola Aluko as the paying client, with the goods documented in his name before being delivered to his storage facilities.
The distinction between a client profile and the individual who funded and received the items may prove central to the jury’s deliberations as they assess whether the alleged benefits constituted bribes personally received by the former minister.
While prosecutors maintain that the luxury goods were provided to influence official decisions during her tenure, the defence continues to question the strength and consistency of the evidence presented so far.
The trial is expected to resume on February 23, 2026, with additional prosecution witnesses scheduled to take the stand.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to Bola Tinubu, has called for a full investigation into allegations made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai regarding alleged surveillance and an attempted arrest.
The controversy followed El-Rufai’s appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme, where he claimed that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, ordered his arrest. He alleged that security operatives attempted to detain him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Thursday.
El-Rufai further alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) deployed the Department of State Services to carry out the operation. He claimed the action was personally authorised by Ribadu and suggested that he was aware of the plan because his associates had intercepted communications.
Reacting on X, formerly Twitter, Onanuga described the remarks as a potential admission of illegal wire-tapping and questioned whether El-Rufai and his associates had access to surveillance equipment.
In his post, Onanuga stated that the matter should be thoroughly investigated and stressed that no individual is above the law.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju weighed in on the development, describing the alleged attempted arrest as “karma” catching up with the former governor. However, he expressed doubts about whether there was a concrete plan to detain El-Rufai.
Adeyanju noted that under Nigerian law, arrests must be backed by a valid court warrant or probable cause, adding that existing legal frameworks provide due process for detaining any citizen, including a former governor.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission fixing February 20, 2027, for Nigeria’s presidential and National Assembly elections, but urged the commission to provide clear guarantees on real-time electronic transmission of results.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the early release of the timetable as a positive step that gives political parties, stakeholders, and voters sufficient time to prepare for the electoral process.
However, the ADC stressed that the credibility of the 2027 general elections would ultimately depend not only on the timetable but on INEC’s demonstrable commitment to transparency, technological integrity, and strict adherence to due process throughout the electoral cycle.
The party highlighted real-time electronic transmission of results as a key issue, noting that although INEC has indicated it would operate within the limits of the law, provisions in the current Electoral Act still leave room for discretion in areas that could affect public confidence.
It referenced recent comments by INEC’s chairman acknowledging the commission’s technological capacity to deploy electronic transmission and its intention to continue leveraging technology in elections. The ADC therefore called on the electoral body to give Nigerians early and unambiguous clarification on its readiness to implement real-time result transmission if the necessary legal amendments are enacted.
The statement also urged INEC to publicly outline both manual and electronic safeguards that will be used to protect the integrity of results management and prevent irregularities similar to those recorded in some recent off-cycle elections.
In addition, the party appealed to the National Assembly to urgently pass a binding legal framework that removes ambiguity around electronic transmission and strengthens the legal architecture for transparent polls.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, the ADC said it would continue to engage constructively with INEC, lawmakers, and other stakeholders to ensure that the 2027 general elections reflect the true will of Nigerians.
Authorities in Kenya have outlawed the use of bank notes to create decorative gift bouquets, ending a popular romantic trend that had gained traction among couples, especially in Nairobi.
The directive was issued by the Central Bank of Kenya ahead of Valentine’s Day, making it illegal to fold or arrange currency into floral-style displays. The practice, widely known as “money bouquets,” involved shaping colourful notes into petal-like forms and assembling them into decorative bunches, often presented as gifts of affection.
In recent years, the trend had spread rapidly, fueled by social media tutorials showing step-by-step methods for folding, taping, or gluing bank notes into elaborate designs. Supporters described the bouquets as combining romance with practicality, since recipients could later dismantle them and spend the cash.
The central bank’s decision effectively halts the craze, which had become increasingly visible not only in Kenya but also across parts of East Africa and some areas of Asia.
While officials did not immediately detail penalties, the move signals growing concern among regulators about the handling and alteration of legal tender, which monetary authorities generally prohibit to protect currency integrity and circulation.
The ban comes just as florists and gift vendors typically experience peak demand for romantic presents, potentially reshaping Valentine’s Day gift trends across the country.