Why Diezani’s extradition is delayed – SAN

A senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former EFCC prosecutor, Wahab Shittu, has highlighted the challenge before the federal government in the quest to extradite ex-minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for trial.

Shittu disclosed this when he featured on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’.

According to him, “legal and extra-legal hurdles” remain a significant challenge in the extradition of the ex-minister for prosecution back home.

Explaining further, the Offa born legal luminary from Kwara State said: “You know the extradition procedures of getting somebody who has taken flight from one country to another involve legal compliance procedures that must be satisfied before someone can be extradited to Nigeria.

“There are judicial procedures and international administrative protocols that must be complied with.

“Successive Nigerian governments, particularly this administration, are making efforts to ensure Diezani is brought back to face her trials. However, legal and extra-legal hurdles remain a significant challenge.

“These challenges demonstrate the complexity of international justice systems adding that “but efforts must continue until justice is served.”

On Friday, the Nigerian and US governments signed an asset return agreement on $52.88 million recovered from the Galactica assets.

The assets were linked to Alison-Madueke and her associates.

The EFCC had alleged that the former minister stole $2.5 billion from Nigeria’s coffers during her stint as minister.

In October 2015, Alison-Madueke and four other persons were arrested in the UK over alleged bribery and money laundering offences.

However, In August 2023, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said they suspected she had accepted bribes in return for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts.

The Southwark Crown Court in the UK has been prosecuting her over the alleged crime.