Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has publicly appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian government to allow her return home as she battles late-stage cancer and seeks to confess to alleged financial misdeeds committed during her time in office.
Speaking tearfully to members of the press after a medical appointment in London, Diezani admitted to misappropriating public funds and expressed her willingness to cooperate with authorities in the recovery of assets.
The former minister, who served under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, fled to the United Kingdom amid investigations by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Now, in what many are calling a dramatic turn of events, Diezani has asked for clemency, citing her failing health and newfound religious conviction. “I am a born-again Christian and currently undergoing treatment for stage two cancer. My doctors have placed me on a lifelong medication regimen,” she said.
“Yes, I was accused of misappropriation during my time as Minister of Petroleum, and it’s true. But I want to be allowed to come back home and tell the full story. Life is short, and I want to make peace with my country”, she added.
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In a stunning allegation, Diezani claimed that she had entrusted over $9 billion to Dauda Lawal, the current Governor of Zamfara State, during his time as an Executive Director at First Bank Nigeria Plc. According to her, the funds were given to Lawal for safekeeping, but she now alleges that he has cut all communication with her.
“My husband, my family, and even my UK-based Nigerian lawyer are aware of the arrangement I had with Dauda Lawal,” she stated. “But today, Mr. Lawal no longer answers my calls. He’s even working with UK authorities to keep me under surveillance, probably waiting for me to die and take the money.”
She further claimed that the Zamfara governor has blacklisted her and her legal team’s contact numbers and is leveraging his position and constitutional immunity to evade accountability.
Addressing President Tinubu directly, Diezani pleaded: “Sir, I am ready to return with written documentation, signed by my lawyer, to provide evidence and return the funds I took. Nigeria is my home. I have made grave mistakes, and I ask for forgiveness.”
Her unexpected confession has reignited conversations around unresolved corruption cases from previous administrations, and the role of influential figures still in active politics.
Meanwhile, reactions have been mixed across Nigeria. While some Nigerians see her appeal as an opportunity for asset recovery and national healing, others are sceptical, viewing her statement as a ploy to escape further prosecution.
As of now, the Presidency and the EFCC have not issued an official response to her plea. However, political analysts suggest that her confession could either complicate ongoing legal proceedings or mark the beginning of a high-profile settlement negotiation.
Regardless of the outcome, Diezani’s request to return to Nigeria—made under the shadow of terminal illness and alleged betrayal—has cast a spotlight once again on the deep-rooted issues of trust, accountability, and justice in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Phoenix
