The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has said the acquittal of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the United Kingdom does not bring an end to corruption investigations and legal proceedings against her in Nigeria.
Alison-Madueke was acquitted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on June 17, 2026, after being tried on six charges involving alleged bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery.
The former minister, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, had denied the allegations. The jury reached its verdict after more than 46 hours of deliberation, bringing the UK criminal trial to an end.
Reacting to the development, HEDA said the UK verdict should not be interpreted as a judicial clearance of all allegations against Alison-Madueke in other jurisdictions.
The organisation noted that the UK prosecution was based on allegations relating to benefits allegedly received in Britain and was distinct from separate investigations and proceedings in Nigeria.
HEDA urged Nigerian authorities to continue pursuing any outstanding criminal and civil cases connected to the former minister, in accordance with Nigerian law and due process.
The organisation also called for transparency in the handling of assets recovered or forfeited in connection with investigations involving Alison-Madueke and her associates.
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has previously maintained that its cases against Alison-Madueke are separate from the UK proceedings. The commission has pursued allegations involving money laundering, properties, private jets and other transactions linked to her tenure in government.
The UK acquittal followed a five-month trial arising from a long-running investigation by British authorities. Separately, assets linked to Alison-Madueke have been the subject of civil forfeiture and recovery proceedings in Nigeria, the United States and other jurisdictions.
HEDA stressed that the UK verdict should be respected, while also maintaining that any outstanding Nigerian investigations should be allowed to proceed independently and in accordance with the law.
