The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has issued an arrest warrant against a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the United Kingdom.
The warrant was issued by lead judge, Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, following an oral application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In the application made through its lawyer, Farouk Abdullah, the EFCC said it found out that Deziani, who is faced with differing money-laundering allegations, has been in her UK hideout, while refusing to return to the country.
Abdullah lamented that all efforts by the anti-agency to get the former minister extradited back to Nigeria had proved abortive.
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He stressed that the warrant would enable the EFCC to persuade the International Police (INTERPOL) to arrest Diezani and also help the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to facilitate her extradition.
“We urge my lord to issue an arrest warrant against Alison-Madueke, who is believed to be in the UK to enable all law enforcement agencies and the INTERPOL to arrest her anywhere she is sighted and be brought before this court to answer to the allegation made against her, ” EFCC’s lawyer added.
EFCC anchored the application on section 83(1b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
Meanwhile, after he had listened to the application, Justice Olajuwon granted it as prayed, even as he adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely) to await the arrest and extradition of the Defendant.
