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By Correspondent in Abuja.
Mr. Chinedu Eneanya, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday testified in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, at Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom.
Eneanya gave his testimony virtually from the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria ,stating that he is an investigator employed by the EFCC
Our correspondent reports that the proceedings were conducted virtually by Justice James Omotosho in line with the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 2018, and other applicable laws.
The hearing followed a request by UK Central Authorities for witnesses to testify from Nigeria before the trial court, where Mrs Justice Thornton is presiding.
While being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel in the UK court, Eneanya confirmed that the EFCC received a request from UK authorities to review documents recovered during a raid on Alison-Madueke’s residence in Nigeria.
He stated that the documents were recovered from her home on Oct. 2, 2015, and confirmed that Abdulrasheed Bawa was the investigating officer at the time.
It must be recalled that Bawa later served as Chairman of the EFCC during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Eneanya further confirmed that Bawa prepared the inventory of the recovered documents.
During cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant (Alison-Madueke), Eneanya affirmed that the documents had remained in EFCC custody since their seizure in 2015.
He also confirmed that he was already an EFCC staff member at the time of the search.
“I joined the EFCC 20 years ago, in April 2006,” he said.
However, he clarified that he was not part of the team that conducted the search of the former minister’s residence.
He explained that his team only began examining the documents in late December 2025, following the UK request.
When asked whether he had any prior involvement with the exhibits before that period, he responded: “No, not until last December.”
Eneanya reiterated that his team relied on the inventory earlier prepared by Bawa.
After concluding his testimony, Eneanya was discharged from the witness box.
Meanwhile, a lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Olubunmi Ikupolati, informed Justice Omotosho that efforts to produce a second witness were unsuccessful.
“My lord, we contacted him since yesterday, but he has not given any definite response,” Ikupolati said.
The matter was subsequently adjourned.
Besides Eneanya’s testimony, Justice Omotosho had earlier taken evidence from four witnesses on Feb. 25.
The charge, marked CS/72/2026 on Justice Omotosho’s cause list, is titled: “In the Matter of Application for the Taking of the Evidence of Witnesses in Nigeria via Video Link for Use in Criminal Proceedings in Accordance with the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act.”
It lists Alison-Madueke, Ayinde Olatimbo Bukola, and Agama Doye as first to third defendants, respectively.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum from 2010 to 2015, was the first female Minister of Petroleum in the country and the first woman president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015.
The 65-year-old has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015.
She has pleaded not guilty to six counts, including five charges of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
The charges relate to the award of oil and gas contracts during her tenure in office, according to UK authorities and media reports.
British investigators allege that she received at least £100,000 in cash, along with benefits described by prosecutors as “financial or other advantages,” including private jet flights, chauffeur-driven cars, the use and maintenance of London property, luxury goods, and school fees for her son.
The trial, which commenced on Jan. 26 in the UK, is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks.
If convicted under the UK Bribery Act, she could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
The former minister is being prosecuted alongside Ayinde and Doye.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
