Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate arrest of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Naija News reports that the presiding judge gave the order on Monday following the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an arrest warrant against the ex-minister.
The court had fixed November 3, 2021, for the EFCC to give a report on its effort at extraditing Alison-Madueke to the country to stand her trial, and for possible mention of the case.
But on the adjourned date, the case was stalled as neither the EFCC counsel, Farouk Abdullah, nor Alison-Madueke was present in court.
The presiding judge then fixed today, Jan. 24, for the matter and adjourned for a report or for possible mention of the matter, but the defendant was not present in court to defend her trial.
Following her absence in court, Justice Olajuwon issued an arrest warrant against the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, who has been out of the country for over six years.
It was gathered that Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu was initially the presiding judge in the matter, but the case was reassigned to Justice Olajuwon, following the transfer of Ojukwu to the Calabar division of the court.
Ojukwu had, on October 28, 2020, rejected the EFCC’s prayer to issue a warrant of arrest against Alison-Madueke, citing the commission’s failure to enforce the earlier criminal summons.
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