The exclusive video, obtained by SaharaReporters, shows Alison-Madueke, 65, accompanied by a bodyguard or driver who carried her bag to a waiting BMW.
Former OPEC President and ex-Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was videoed leaving Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday, walking briskly and unaided, unlike previous court appearances where she had been seen using a walking stick.
On Monday and Tuesday, Alison-Madueke was observed arriving at and leaving the court with a walking stick.
SaharaReporters had questioned the use of the aid, noting that it was unclear whether it was medically necessary or merely a support prop, as no official clarification was provided in court.
The exclusive video, obtained by SaharaReporters, shows Alison-Madueke, 65, accompanied by a bodyguard or driver who carried her bag to a waiting BMW.
The video comes amid a high-profile corruption trial in London involving Alison-Madueke.
On Tuesday, prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court that the former Nigerian Petroleum Minister accepted £100,000 in cash while in office, in addition to lavish benefits.
Prosecutor Alexandra Healy said Alison-Madueke received cash, private jet flights, chauffeur-driven cars, and luxury goods from Louis Vuitton and Harrods from industry figures seeking oil and gas contracts in Nigeria.
Alison-Madueke is facing six counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, relating to her tenure as Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The court heard she allegedly received “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to the Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups between 2011 and 2015.
She appeared before Judge Michael Snow alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, an ally of President Bola Tinubu, and her brother, 69-year-old Doye Agama, who are also facing charges. Alison-Madueke has pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in October 2015.
Healy told the jury: “Bribery and corruption undermine the proper functioning of the global market,” highlighting the need to prevent corruption from spreading internationally.
The prosecutor said Alison-Madueke frequently stayed in high-end properties provided by individuals seeking contracts with Nigerian state oil companies and received luxury goods and property from those who believed she would use her influence to benefit them.
Healy said there was no evidence Alison-Madueke improperly awarded contracts but stated that accepting benefits from those involved in highly profitable oil and gas dealings with government entities was inappropriate given her position.
The prosecution also accused Ayinde of bribing Alison-Madueke between 2012 and 2014 and of bribing NNPC former managing director Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu in 2015.
Healy alleged that after Muhammadu Buhari replaced Jonathan as president in 2015, Ayinde paid a “substantial bribe” to Kachikwu to ensure Alison-Madueke remained employed at NNPC.
Alison-Madueke holds a unique place in Nigeria’s political history, having been the country’s first female petroleum minister and the first woman to serve as president of OPEC.
Her tenure, however, has been dogged by multiple allegations of corruption, both locally and internationally, since she left office in 2015.
She was first arrested by British authorities in London in October 2015 as part of a major corruption investigation.
Since that arrest, Alison-Madueke has remained on bail while investigations continued, with the case drawing sustained attention due to its scale and the seniority of the individuals involved.
In 2023, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) formally charged Alison-Madueke, accusing her of accepting bribes over a four-year period between 2011 and 2015, when she wielded significant influence over Nigeria’s oil sector, one of the most lucrative in Africa.
At the time of filing the charges, the NCA said: “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.”
Prosecutors allege that the former minister benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, as well as a range of luxury advantages provided by individuals seeking favourable treatment in the awarding of oil-related contracts.
These alleged benefits include chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights, and the use of several high-end properties in London.
According to the charges, Alison-Madueke is also accused of receiving luxury furniture, funding for renovation works on properties, the services of household staff, and the payment of private school fees.
Prosecutors further claim she accepted expensive designer items, including gifts from luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton.
The prosecution is expected to argue that these benefits were provided as bribes in exchange for influence over oil contracts and strategic decisions within Nigeria’s petroleum sector, which controls billions of dollars in revenue annually.
The trial is scheduled to last between 10 and 12 weeks, during which the court is expected to hear testimony from multiple witnesses and examine financial records, property transactions, and other evidence linked to the alleged bribery scheme.