Alleged Vienna Mansion: Alison-Madueke Petitions NIA

Mon, 14/11/2011 - 7:17am | JULIET ALOHAN News Politics




Irked by recent reports alleging that she acquired a 20 million Euro mansion in Vienna, Austria, the minister of petroleum resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has petitioned the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).


The terse petition to the director-general of the intelligence agency, which was dispatched over the weekend, requests the NIA to launch a thorough inquest into the source of what she described as a “negative character onslaught”. The petition letter, dated 11/11/2011 and entitled “Phantom Allegation by Heute Newspaper” was personally signed by the minister and copied President Goodluck Jonathan.


The letter in which Alison-Madueke implored the NIA DG to treat the matter with the urgency it deserves reads in part: “I write to draw your attention to a recent report published by the Vienna-based Heute newspaper alleging the purchase of a 20 million Euro mansion in an undisclosed location in Vienna by my humble self. The story which is clearly concocted to portray Nigeria’s public officials as corrupt and prodigal was scripted as well to denigrate and embarrass the federal government of Nigeria.”


The letter which was obtained by LEADERSHIP further reads: “In the light of the above, it is my wish that you use your good offices to cause a detailed investigation of the mischievous story with a view to ascertaining the real motive behind this unwholesome article.’’


The NIA is Nigeria’s foreign equivalent of the State Security Service (SSS) and is charged with gathering intelligence abroad for government as well as the protection of the country’s citizens and other overseas interest. Meanwhile, a source within the presidency yesterday hinted that President Jonathan, irritated by the spate of phantom foreign media-induced attacks targeted at Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, has ordered the NIA DG as well as the Nigerian ambassador to Austria to dig into the matter, with a view to ascertaining the veracity or otherwise of the said report.


It was gathered that  legal action may be instituted in Austria against the publishers of Heute once it is established that the report was fabricated to ridicule a Nigerian minister.


“The presidency is approaching the matter with an open mind. But let us look at this case from the standpoint of common sense. Heute is based in Vienna which is the location of the said mansion, yet Heute claims it culled or obtained the report from a Nigerian newspaper which it has so far refused to name.


“The question is: what stopped Heute from going to the land office or county registry in Vienna to obtain documents and even photographs of the so-called mansion? We really need to send a strong warning to these so-called foreign tabloids,” the source who pleaded anonymity said.


Recently, the Jarkata Post similarly published a report stating that the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources were billed to sign a $2.68 billion deal for the construction of three refineries in Indonesia. The report, which was widely circulated online, caused a major stir in the country amid denials by the NNPC as Nigerians were bewildered by government’s presumed insensitivity of such project. However, days later, the Jarkata Post recanted the story and apologised to the minister of petroleum resources and the NNPC.

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/8233/2011/11/14/alleged_vienna_mansion_alison-madueke_petitions_nia.html

if the story is false,madueke should sue the newspaper in order to establish her innocence. or keep quiet because we know that efcc will not do anything to her.

Diezani denies Vienna mansion allegation

Sunday, 13 November 2011 16:54 administrator


By Mohammed Kandi



Minister of Petroleum   Resources, Mrs. Diezani                Alison-Madueke has denied allegations that she bought a 20 million mansion in Vienna, Austria.





An Austrian newspaper, Heute reported that the minister allegedly bought the mansion even as millions of Nigerians go to bed on empty stomachs.

But the minister through the spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Levi Ajuonuma dismissed the story as “idle gossip”.

Dr. Ajuonuma who is group general manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC,  said in a chat with newsmen on Friday that “As professionals, we know that comment is free but facts are sacred. Now if you are saying in this age and time that somebody bought a 20m euro mansion in a very conservative city like Vienna, then you must be able to produce the picture of the so called mansion, the transfer wire number for the said purchase, as well as other details of the transaction. 20m euro is no small money anywhere in the world”.

He recalled that a similar unsubstantiated story was culled from the Jakarta Post and spread by the online news media in September accusing the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of planning to invest in a multibillion-naira refinery project in Indonesia.

"Interestingly when the Jakarta Post retracted their phantom story and apologised on front page to the NNPC for the fake story, the online media never bothered to publish same because they are usually not interested in facts," he said.

He implored newspaper editors and gate keepers to fact check news stories from foreign tabloids and online media in good time for publication.  ``With the aid of forensic accounting, it doesn’t take rocket science to track any financial transaction. You cannot conduct a 20million euro deal anywhere in the world, without attracting red flag from relevant international agencies, ’’ he said.  Ajuonuma assured that the Minister of Petroleum Resources is not perturbed by such publications, noting that the focus now is on ensuring the full activation of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration Transformation Agenda in the oil and gas industry.



Date Published: 11/14/11

“Dezeani Alison-Madueke’s does not own a 20m Euro Vienna Mansion” - NNPC

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma on Friday refuted allegation in some online news media and national dailies that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke purchased a 20m euro mansion at an undisclosed location in the Austrian capital of Vienna. In a chat with Journalists in Abuja on Friday, the NNPC spokesman noted that no right thinking news medium would fall for such cheap and unsubstantiated rumour peddling.

As professionals, we know that comment is free but facts are sacred. Now if you are saying in this age and time that somebody bought a 20m euro mansion in a very conservative city like Vienna, then you must be able to produce the picture of the so called mansion, the transfer wire number for the said purchase, as well as other details of the transaction. 20m euro is no small money anywhere in the world,’’ Ajuonuma stated.

He recalled that a similar unsubstantiated story was culled from the Jakarta Post and spread by the online news media in September accusing the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of planning to invest in a multibillion-naira refinery project in Indonesia.

"Interestingly when the Jakarta Post retracted their phantom story and apologised on front page to the NNPC for the fake story, the online media never bothered to publish same because they are usually not interested in facts," he said. He implored newspaper editors and gate keepers to fact- check news stories from foreign tabloids and online media in good time for publication.

Ajuonuma assured that the Minister of Petroleum Resources is not perturbed by such publications, noting that the focus now is on ensuring the full activation of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration Transformation Agenda in the oil and gas industry.  

http://www.pointblanknews.com/News/os5824.html

since when did ajuonuma become madueke's PR? ajuonuma is a liar. I dnt belive him so he shld save it. what he's trying to do is to protect one of "our own" so that when it comes to his turn which will come one day,he will see who'll protect him. Nobi today.We can't be deceived by these xters anymore.

Does the NIA control Heute or the internet?

Pretty lady.

@Blink182

Of all that is being said, you can only comment on her looks
Na wah for you oh Bros

blink182:

Pretty lady.

Dont be deceived, even the current miss wowo,nigeria would be finer if she were in this woman's post

Maybe she bought her mansion in dubai .

Kx:

Dont be deceived, even the current miss wowo,nigeria would be finer if she were in this woman's post

Dude, That woman is really pretty sha Obasanjo still looks thesame after occupying the Presidential palace for 8 years.

I sed it earlier,Heute or whatever did a very shoddy report.Ownership of public properties is public knowledge in d western world;y cudnt dey just go to d registry& verify d claims.Its one of d shoddiest reports ever to come out of d western media(a simple pix of d house was not evn added)& if found false,d paper shd b shut down!

Oops! Shud av read ownership of properties is public knowledge,not of public,

desert reporters should be investigated aswell for reproducing an unconfirmed informations,junk to the core

unclebros:

@Blink182

Of all that is being said, you can only comment on her looks
Na wah for you oh Bros

 tire chief. The woman too fine.

doctokwus:

I sed it earlier,Heute or whatever did a very shoddy report.Ownership of public properties is public knowledge in d western world;y cudnt dey just go to d registry& verify d claims.Its one of d shoddiest reports ever to come out of d western media(a simple pix of d house was not evn added)& if found false,d paper shd b shut down!

Were you expecting her to buy the house in her own name ? Seems you don't know why cecelia ibru's housemaid had billions of naira in her account !

I tire
I siddon
I dey look

Wetin we no go hear for dis country
Shameless people
In other climes person 4 don resign!

I do not really like the way she has handled the petroleum ministry but I have to say:

SHE IS DAMN PRETTY!

She needs to get rid of that headgear she puts on.

uh, i expect her to resign from the office. that is what happen in other developing country. public officers in Nigeria no de resign even though d finger point at them. na wa oh oooo

Wow. This woman has taken so much heat she must have developed a tan by now or let's say trauma. So it begs the question, when will she be done, that is done with her office.

I tell you, traumatized Nigerians will hold her feet to the fire until they are sure nothing is cooking in the much villified NNPC.

This is what I expected to happen when the Vienna mansion story broke. I have since come to give the subject of Sahara Reporters investigations the benefit of the doubt. Lets see how this all plays out.

stagger:

I do not really like the way she has handled the petroleum ministry but I have to say:

SHE IS DAMN PRETTY!

She needs to get rid of that headgear she puts on.

What's wrong with her "headgear" ignorant negro?

My role model, wish i was old enough to marry you and enjoy all the loot

~Bluetooth:

Were you expecting her to buy the house in her own name ? Seems you don't know why cecelia ibru's housemaid had billions of naira in her account !

@least they shd av added substance to d shoddy report by attaching a pix of d mansion& in whose name it was registered,dat is a basic of any journalist reporting.
It still remains to me d most unjournalistic piece of reporting to ever b published by a wewstern news media.It gives d woed shoddy a sublime meaning.Q.E.D

fakarglob:

uh, i expect her to resign from the office. that is what happen in other developing country. public officers in Nigeria no de resign even though d finger point at them. na wa oh oooo  

                                                                                                                          Resign over an allegation that has no evidennce?                                                                                                         can you resign if you find yourself in a such  position?                                                                                                                                                                       use yourself as an example not devoloped countries.

Our minister are corrupt but not in this case.

I dont know why some people will come to this forum and start displaying their ignorance? I said it last week and exactly the thing someone here said; finding out the ownership of a house in the West is as simple as ABC.

Inasmuch as these govt officials dip their hands and legs into the public treasury, we should not always jump to conclusions on every matter. Gladly in this case, it is very easy for any discerning and intelligent individual to clearly see that this was a smear campaign.

I cannot be FOOLED.

I guess she'll be more careful next time around. Create more layers between her and what every she wants to spend her stolen loot on.  

I want make her my sugar mummy just to be servicing her and I get my pay.
I will like to work "under" her.
Yepa, mama yi fine gan joo.

where is Sahara nano nonsense?

From the onset i knew that the allegation maybe a fabrication. How can a vienna based news media publish a story about a transaction that took place in it`s backyard without detailed information like the location, the pictures, the property dealer that handled the transaction, the avenue through which the money was transfered, who transfered the money. These informations can be easily accessed through the freedom of information act that exists in virtually all western european democracies.The story is false. Being at helm of affiars in a ministry where very influencial individuals and organisations are stakeholders, this unsubstanciated allegation may be the consequence of stepping on some powerful toes.

I fully back the warlike approach the FG is taking. I hope people end up in jail when it is over, it wouldn't matter where the jail is, Europe or Kirikiri.
Let arses fry.

It was quite clear that the story was a fabrication from the beginning.