Overview
- A London jury on 17 June 2026 found Diezani Alison‑Madueke not guilty of five counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.
- Co‑defendants Olatimbo Ayinde and Alison‑Madueke’s brother Doye Agama were also acquitted of the charges against them.
- The NCA brought the case after a years‑long investigation into alleged conduct between 2011 and 2015 that prosecutors said involved costly gifts, property renovations, cash and use of private jets and cars.
- Defence lawyers said prosecutions were undermined by a lengthy delay, missing or inaccessible records and the retention of Alison‑Madueke’s passport since her 2015 arrest, and the jury deliberated for more than 46 hours before returning verdicts.
- The verdict underscores practical limits to pursuing alleged corruption by senior officials across borders and leaves open reputational and policy questions for Nigeria’s oil sector and for future international anti‑corruption probes.