The Westminster Magistrates Court in the United Kingdom (UK) has adjourned the hearing on the case involving Nigeria's former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to November 2025.
Alison-Madueke has been under trial for an alleged £100,000 bribe, a matter that has captured national attention.
President Bola Tinubu's administration is actively seeking Alison-Madueke's repatriation to Nigeria. This move comes amidst allegations of corrupt dealings during her tenure as the minister.
Nigeria's Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has submitted a warrant of arrest and an official request to the Crown Prosecution Services of the United Kingdom, urging the immediate extradition of the former minister.
This request was made in accordance with the orders of President Bola Tinubu and followed a written official plea by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation earlier this month.
According to emerging reports, the extradition request was grounded in Section 2 (2) of Nigeria's Extradition Act, CAP E25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and the London Scheme of Extradition within the Commonwealth, commonly known as "The Scheme."
This multilateral treaty governs extradition proceedings between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, providing the legal basis for Nigeria's extradition request.