Ex-Minister Alison-Madueke's Corruption Trial Begins in London

Diezani Alison-Madueke, the first woman to preside over OPEC, is facing a corruption trial in London. The 65-year-old is accused of accepting bribes and conspiring to commit bribery during her time as Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Resources under President Goodluck Jonathan.

The charges include receiving financial advantages from individuals linked to energy groups, as well as accepting bribes in the form of luxurious gifts and cash. Alison-Madueke, who held key positions in the Nigerian government and Shell, denies the charges.

The trial is expected to last 10-12 weeks, with two prosecutors handling the case. The National Crime Agency (NCA) suspects her of abusing power in Nigeria to receive financial rewards and awarding multi-million-pound contracts.

The NCA has targeted international organized crime to recover assets totaling £53.1 million linked to Alison-Madueke's alleged corruption, including luxury real estate in California and New York. Born in Port Harcourt in 1960, Alison-Madueke studied architecture in Britain and the United States before entering politics.

She held significant government positions before her involvement in the oil industry.