The Human and Environmental Development Agenda has said the acquittal of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, by a United Kingdom court does not prevent Nigerian authorities from continuing investigations and asset-recovery proceedings involving her.
The anti-corruption organisation said the June 17 decision of the Southwark Crown Court should be respected, but stressed that it only addressed the bribery allegations brought before the UK court.
In a statement issued on Sunday, HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, said the verdict should not be interpreted as a final determination of allegations or legal proceedings being pursued under Nigerian law.
He said, “The UK judgment should be respected for what it is: a decision on the specific criminal charges for crimes committed under UK laws that were before the court.
“It should neither be misrepresented as proof of guilt nor as a blanket determination of every allegation, investigation or asset-recovery proceeding connected to the former minister.”
HEDA urged the Federal Government to examine available evidence independently and continue with any viable cases against the former minister while observing due process and constitutional safeguards.
The organisation said criminal prosecution and asset recovery are distinct legal processes, noting that the outcome of a criminal case does not automatically determine the ownership or status of assets involved in separate forfeiture proceedings.
HEDA recalled that it had monitored the Alison-Madueke case for several years and documented developments involving her in its Compendium of 100 High-Profile Corruption Cases.
It also said it had tracked proceedings involving properties and other assets allegedly linked to the former minister in Nigeria, the UK and the United States.
The group called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other relevant agencies to provide clarity on the status of the various cases and asset-recovery proceedings.
It further demanded greater transparency in the handling of recovered and forfeited assets, saying Nigerians should be informed about what has been recovered, where the assets are located and how recovered funds are being managed.
HEDA said Nigeria should strengthen its institutions rather than depend on foreign courts to determine whether corruption allegations against Nigerian citizens should be pursued.
The organisation stated, “Nigeria must not wait for foreign courts to determine whether Nigerians accused of corruption should face justice.
“Our institutions must sustain and improve the investigative capacity, evidence-gathering systems and international cooperation mechanisms required to pursue complex corruption cases, wherever the proceeds may have been moved.”
Suraju said the effectiveness of Nigeria’s justice system would ultimately be measured by its ability to investigate credible allegations, prosecute cases based on evidence and recover public resources linked to corruption.
He added, “The ultimate test is not whether justice can be obtained in London or any other foreign jurisdiction. The test is whether Nigeria has institutions capable of investigating credible allegations, prosecuting cases based on evidence, recovering the proceeds of corruption and ensuring that those resources are returned transparently to the Nigerian people.”
