For over eight years, the Nigerian government has struggled to prosecute former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke due to complex extradition procedures, according to Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Wahab Shittu.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Shittu highlighted the legal and administrative hurdles involved in bringing Alison-Madueke back from the United Kingdom to face trial.

“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,” Shittu explained.

“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.”

Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has been accused of siphoning millions of dollars in public funds.

Despite numerous cases filed against her in Nigerian courts, her continued stay in the UK has hindered her prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government on Friday secured $52.88 million in recovered Galactica assets linked to Alison-Madueke from the United States.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi revealed the details during a formal asset agreement signing ceremony in Abuja.

Fagbemi announced that $50 million of the recovered funds would be allocated through the World Bank for rural electrification projects, while the remaining $2 million would be directed to the International Institute of Justice to enhance the country’s justice system and counter corruption efforts.

This latest recovery underscores Nigeria’s commitment to pursuing stolen assets, but Shittu stressed that the ultimate goal remains ensuring accountability.

“These challenges demonstrate the complexity of international justice systems,” Shittu noted, “but efforts must continue until justice is served.”

In October 2023, Fagbemi submitted a warrant of arrest and request to the Crown Prosecution Services of the United Kingdom for the urgent extradition of Alison-Madueke.

Meanwhile, in May 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission planned to join forces with the United Kingdom prosecutors as an interested party in the trial of the former petroleum minister in a UK court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested four Chinese nationals and 101 Nigerians in a business apartment in the Gudu axis of Abuja for internet fraud.

They were arrested on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

The suspects, comprising 67 males (including four Chinese) and 38 females were allegedly involved in a hotel review job scam targeting victims and hotels in Europe and other parts of the world.

Former Chief of Staff to former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, will have to remain in prison until January 16, 2025 when the court will rule on his bail application over money laundering charges.

Sa’idu was arrested by security agencies on December 30, 2024 along the Kaduna-Zaria highway. He was then arraigned before the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Rigasa and was remanded at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.

A security source said Sa’idu implicated El-Rufai in his confessional statement to the police.

“The former Chief of Staff alleged that he sold 45 million US dollars belonging to the Kaduna State Government, equivalent to N18.4 billion at the significantly undervalued rate of N410 per dollar. This was instead of the parallel market rate of N498 per dollar, with criminal intent, resulting in a N3.9 billion loss to the government in 2022,” the source said.

The prosecution further alleged that the N3.9 billion discrepancy was laundered by Sa’idu, in violation of Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

But the counsel for Sai’du, Oladipo Tolani (SAN) while responding to the allegations in an interview described the allegations as baseless.

“Bashir Saidu has been in detention since 2nd January, 2025 when he was captured along the Kaduna-Zaria highway at Rigachiku, Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

“After his detention, we filed an application for bail which was argued today (yesterday). Meanwhile, yesterday (Wednesday), the state government filed a charge against Saidu. The matter was adjourned for ruling on 16th January, 2025,” he said.

Reacting to claims that Saidu indicted his former principal at the court, he said, “Whoever told you that evidence was given by a chief security officer is a lie. No evidence was taken. No testimony was given”.