The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally commenced moves to extradite former Minister of Petroleum, Alison Diezani Madueke by obtaining a fresh warrant for her arrest. The EFCC reputedly filed fresh charges against her.
The EFCC also opted to join Mrs. Diezani in a suit alongside oil tycoon Jide Omokore, according to a source within the anti-graft commission.
The anti-graft commission is working round the clock to get for a bench warrant against the former petroleum minister to start proceedings for her extradition from the United Kingdom to Nigeria to stand trial.According to the EFCC source; “There have always been charges against Diezani. However, we had to remove her name for technical reasons. Also, the matter is no longer before Justice Nyako.
We will amend the charges to include her name and then we will apply for a bench warrant because there are many diplomatic processes involved. we will have to amend the charges against her.
You cannot extradite a person from foreign land without evidence that the person is wanted or the person’s arrest has been ordered by a court.
A bench warrant is an arrest warrant that is ordered by a judge against the defendant in a criminal case. It is typically issued in the case of a failure to appear for trial.”
The source who pleaded for anonymity noted that a case had indeed been filed against Diezani in 2016 but had been withdrawn by the commission.
The source said further that UK authorities had been delaying the process, but the commission was determined to see it through
