…#BringBackDiezani# daily sit-out commences on Monday
Oscarline Onwuemenyi
24 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – Following the controversial success of their “Resume or Resign” protests against President Muhammadu Buhari’s continued stay in the United Kingdom, the organisers of the “Our Mumu Don Do” campaign have resolved to begin a sit-out effort to demand the repatriation of the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to face trials on charges of corruption.
In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of ‘Our Mumu Don Do’, Adebayo Raphael, Charles Oputa (Convener, Our Mumu Don Do), and Deji Adeyanju (Concerned Nigerians), the group announced a “2-day sit out in front of the EFCC Headquarters to demand that the Federal Government applies for her extradition and prosecution in Nigeria.”
The group noted that, “Following recent mind-boggling allegations of corruption and wanton looting of public funds and the collective patrimony of Nigerian citizens by the former Minister for Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, we call on the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apply for her extradition from the United Kingdom to face prosecution in Nigeria.
Only a few days ago, a Federal High Court has ordered Mrs. Alison-Madueke to permanently forfeit several luxurious properties in several high brow areas across the country to the Federal Government.
“It is therefore unimaginable that the Federal Government is not pushing for Mrs. Allison-Madueke’s extradition to face punishment for her alleged crimes.
“In this light, we will be holding a 2-day sit out in front of the EFCC Headquarters to demand that the Federal Government applies for her extradition and prosecution in Nigeria,” the group stated.
The sit-out will take place on Monday and Tuesday, August 28 and 29, at 9: oo am daily in front of the EFCC Office, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Recall that earlier this week, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had questioned the Federal Government’s resolve towards arraigning the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, for corruption and embezzlement.
The highlight of the demand by the CSOs, which was announced on Tuesday by the Director of the Say No Campaign Nigeria (SNC-Nigeria), Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, in Abuja, was the demand for the speedy trial of Mrs. Alison-Madueke, so as to ensure sustained success of the anti-corruption war.
Mr. Nwagwu said, “Diezani Alison-Madueke has had a trail of overwhelmingly frightening and shocking records of corruption allegations and damning reports of abuse of office against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of which she is yet to be questioned or indicted.
“Unfortunately, two whole years into the administration that is reputed to have zero tolerance for corruption, it has only reported having confiscated Diezani’s $115million and $37.5million property including the proceeds from rent with no effort to indict her.
“We called for the support of the United States of America and the United Kingdom to accede to Nigeria’s request for the deportation of Diezani Alison-Madueke to face corruption charges in Nigeria.”
According to him, Mrs Diezani who served as the Minister of Transportation in 2007, Minister of Mine and Steel Development in 2008 and Minister of Petroleum Resources in 2010, has had a trail of frightening and shocking records of corruption allegations and damning reports of abuse of office against her by the EFCC of which she is yet to be questioned or indicted.
“Despite these rather damning allegations Diezani is yet to be prosecuted. She has since dubiously maintained she is innocent and had challenged EFCC to prosecute her if they truly have implicating evidence against her,” he said.