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EFCC, UK begin talks to extradite Diezani

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EFCC gets court nod to arraign Diezani, Omokore

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it has commenced discussion with authorities in the United Kingdom to ensure the quick extradition of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

There have been calls from different quarters for the extradition of the former minister over several allegations of impropriety against her.

The acting Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, in a statement, confirmed that the anti-graft agency had met with National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom on Thursday to kickstart the extradition process.

He said the commission also discussed with the UK official in discussing the efforts made in the recovery of all ill-gotten assets domiciled in foreign jurisdiction by Nigeria’s Politically Exposed Persons (PEP).

Read also: Please transfer all our corruption cases from Justice Nyako, EFCC begs CJN

“Outside the recovery of assets, the EFCC boss in the course of the high power meeting with officials of the NCA will also present the commission’s position on ways to fast-track the extradition of all PEPs who have found safe havens in foreign jurisdiction,” the statement read in part.

“For instance, speaking on the former minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke, whose process of extradition from the UK has commenced, Magu explained that having waited for three years, the Nigerian government believes that it is time to initiate the extradition process,” the statement added.

According to the EFCC boss, several politically exposed persons had fled the country since the beginning of the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He however failed to mention names of the persons he alleged had fled.

In 2017, a Federal High court ordered a final forfeiture to the federal government of N7.6 billion alleged loot recovered by the Commission from the Diezani.

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