‘Market Women in Bodija Have Jewelry’, Diezani Reacts to Al Jazeera Report

Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke has broken her silence on a report by Al Jazeera on Monday which claimed a property in Abuja worth $18 million had been seized from her. The report also claimed Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered jewelry worth $2 million from the building. In a reaction to the report signed by Diezani herself and made exclusively available to SIGNAL on Monday, Diezani berated the EFCC and Al Jazeera describing the report as representing “everything ridiculous and despicable about professional media practice and global best practices in the war against corruption.”

Here is the full text of her statement:

My attention has been drawn to a report by Al Jazeera, which was released on Monday as a testament to the effectiveness of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in its war against corruption.

In the video report, which has been widely circulated in the social media, there are claims about me owning a property in Abuja allegedly worth $18 million. The report, which represents everything ridiculous and despicable about professional media practice and global best practices in the war against corruption, is the latest attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. Clips of jewelry allegedly worth over $2 million were also copiously displayed as if to feed the cravings of an audience gratified with the notion that every wealthy Nigerian is corrupt.

This will not be the first time calculated attempts have been made to demonise and damage my reputation in the public space. Many times, my detractors have gotten away with these irresponsible smear campaigns because they have become accustomed to my characteristic approach of silence in the face of these callous attacks.

The latest in the string of propaganda attacks launched against my person since I left government as Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister is this Al Jazeera report, which without any court conviction anywhere in the world attempts to dress Diezani Alison Madueke in the garb of a common criminal. This, to say the least, is the height of journalistic brigandage and a sheer mockery of Nigeria’s anti-corruption war before the eyes of the world who are watching and asking if the war against corruption is a circus show where suspects are prosecuted and sentenced on the pages of newspapers and video blogs without anything as remotely in the semblance of a trial in the courts of law.

When did it become a crime to own a property in Nigeria? When did it become a crime for a woman of my status to have in her possession, jewelry? Jewelry, which women all across the world, including the woman selling tomatoes in Bodija market have in abundance in their closets? In which court of law, anywhere in the world was I prosecuted by the EFCC and found guilty of corruption?

With all sense of modesty, I say this only for posterity and for the records. I have strived within my means and the blessings of God to live a decent and accomplished life. I studied architecture in England and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Howard University, United States of America in 1992. When I returned to Nigeria that same year, I joined Shell Petroleum Development Corporation. In 2002, I obtained an MBA at Cambridge University, United Kingdom. In April 2006, I was appointed by Shell as the company’s first female Executive Director in Nigeria. In July 2007, I was appointed by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as Minister of Transport. The next year in December 2008 I became Minister of Mines and Steel Development. In April 2010, I was appointed as Minister for Petroleum Resources and served in that capacity till May 2015. During this period as Petroleum Minister, I had the honour of serving Nigeria and representing her in the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) where I was elected first female President. All through my career, I have strived to maintain a record of hard work, integrity and excellence, giving my best to society, because my parents raised me in the consciousness that a man or woman’s greatness is defined not by the amount of wealth they have acquired but the impact of their service to God and humanity.

Coming at such a critical time in my life when I am battling cancer, this poorly executed propaganda bares on its face like tribal marks, a clearly malicious attempt to victimize an innocent woman in what appears an exaggerated plot to validate and give credibility to the anti-corruption crusade under Nigeria’s new regime. People who are battling cancer or those who have lost their loved ones to this medical condition understand what I am going through at this time. This is what makes me ponder at the cold-heartedness of those who will go any length to defame and destroy in the name of propaganda. What happened to our shared humanity?

I have absolute regard for the law and believe that people who have breached the laws that govern societies should be made to face the wrath of the law. But in a civilized society, a responsible government owes its citizens absolute commitment to the principles of rule of law, equity, fairness and justice. I have been wrongfully and maliciously maligned and those behind this reckless action know it.

I leave them to posterity, their conscience and above all the Almighty God who is the final judge of all.

Diezani Alison-Madueke

13/06/2016

Source: http://www.signalng.com/breaking-market-women-bodija-jewelry-diezani-reacts-aljazeera-report/

It's Only in Nigeria people whose hands have been soiled claim to be innocent and victims. If she is so sure if her innocence she should sue the federal government and EFCC.

As a Shell Director she cannot afford all this things.

This woman worked hard for her success. A successful woman breeds a lot of envy especially from fellow women. Madam chop your life. Forget senseless people that do worse things behind close doors. No send anybody!

fernandoc:
This woman worked hard for her success. A successful woman breeds a lot of envy especially from fellow women. Madam chop your life. Forget senseless people that do worse things behind close doors. No send anybody!

Then let her sue efcc and federal government if she is not guilty

A bit complex.but she sure hit the nail on the head"where is our shared humanity".this surely goes beyond whether she stole or not and questioning our human and humanness knowing fully her health condition. At worse she should have been accorded the common right of assuming her innocent until conviction by the right court. At best we should have granted her a temporal reprieve from prosecution pending when solves her health issues. Not granting her either the best or the worse case scenario but going further to malign her without conviction is enough to question if att all we are humans.

So mummy Alison still has the mouth to talk after all she did with Aluko & Co to drain the oil industry? The end is indeed nearer than it was yesterday

so those market women are rich... but how d Bleep she sabi dat

I doubt Messi wife's has $2 million worth of jewelry .
We are talking about someone grossing over $50 million annually.
This won has not even a candle or biscuit factory. Yet can afford a wardrobe with that amount in jewelry.
Tell me this is not the definition of a criminal.

1- I remember when Obasanjo accused GEJ of training Snippers and all that bullshit..
2- I rmemeber when Buhari said fuel subsidies was a scam
3- I remember when Buhari said almighty Abacha never loots.
4-I remember when Sanusi said $20b was missing. Not Zimbabwen dollars ooo, but u United state dollars...

5-We all knew how much Abj worth in 1999

6-We all knew ATM when he started even before he was chased to Ghana.
7- and how about Jagaban? Innocent I guess?

8- What's name of that Kaduna mafia ? He was no body in 1999.

This lady worked her ass out for the nation she deserved some respect. Even if you want to probe, take her to court. And stop calling international medias to make her look like she embezzle more than Abj, Jagaban, ATM, lucky, Sherif, Fash,
The truth is APC sees us like fools and have no single respect for us.
They are using all of this shiit to distract us. $1 is 365, Fuel is 140, unemployment is increasing, NDA are bombing oil installations at free will.
This trash is to divert our attention. The nigger is still in London when he has already budgeted for that same shit we went to uk for.
This lady worked her ass out for the nation she deserved some respect.
I really wish all of us can unite against this divide and rule. Let's choose our nation first befor any political party. These old men have nothing to offer.

Lols this woman

zarathustra:
A bit complex.but she sure hit the nail on the head"where is our shared humanity".this surely goes beyond whether she stole or not and questioning our human and humanness knowing fully her health condition. At worse she should have been accorded the common right of assuming her innocent until conviction by the right court. At best we should have granted her a temporal reprieve from prosecution pending when solves her health issues. Not granting her either the best or the worse case scenario but going further to malign her without conviction is enough to question if att all we are humans.

tunda faya you and all your descendants. Where was her humanity when she was looting. Where was her humanity when daughters turned to prostitutes and sons to robbers and militants. Where was her humanity when he's ppl were are will continue to drink black water..where was her humanity when we experienced fuel scarcity for 6 months straight. Where was her humanity. God punish her and her children to the seventh generation if they do not return that money. They will not spend it in peace. As long as they have our money strife will not be far from that family

I weep for my country ! It is only in my country you are pronounced criminal before you are even charged to court.

We all want to see looters in jail. I don't like the rush with which this present EFCC chairman rushes to name people criminals. If he has all evidence as he claims she should be sent back here to face the law.

Inviting al Jazeera to make a documentary out of a case you have not prosecuted, I think is very much unprofessional and can be likened to giving a dog a bad name so that it can be hung.

In as much as I don't like her especially because I think she is very corrupt, I think the EFCC should do better than this. We have seen too many lapses on the part of the anti graft agency trying too hard to impress Nigerians.

I think they should take their time to do very detailed and thorough job so that we can have people properly prosecuted and possibly convicted if found guilty.

I guess the $18 million house belongs to a bricklayer too. Not that am in support of the AlJazeera thing though.

fleshbone:
I guess the $18 million house belongs to a bricklayer too. Not that am in support of the AlJazeera thing though.

$18 million house in Abuja they should show us because the house I saw is not up to $500,000.00 You guys stop that poverty mind set.

APC is just demeaning and demarketing Nigeria to the international media. I really weep for this country's posterity

Even Buhari went on the CNN to admit Nigeria is corrupt, just to paint their administration saints and make a mockery of GEJ, and many fools in this country praising him for doing such.

I always knew nothing has being held against Deziani, bad belle is what they have against that woman. Buhari's has more jewelleries than Alison Madueke

zarathustra:
A bit complex.but she sure hit the nail on the head"where is our shared humanity".this surely goes beyond whether she stole or not and questioning our human and humanness knowing fully her health condition. At worse she should have been accorded the common right of assuming her innocent until conviction by the right court. At best we should have granted her a temporal reprieve from prosecution pending when solves her health issues. Not granting her either the best or the worse case scenario but going further to malign her without conviction is enough to question if att all we are humans.

Who is granting reprieve to those who lost their lives on East-West road, Oyo- Ogbomoso road, Lagos-Ibadan road, bleeding pregnant women rejected by government hospital because there is no bed nor enough doctors on duty all so that Diezani can buy jewelries, own homes worth Billions of naira and fly private jets.

Where was humanity when they looked away from citizens roasting in buses when they hit huge craters on expressways and had collisions with rickety fuel tankers. Thousands died to maintain their dubious lifestyle.

Can she earn farther than 10 million Naira a month as a Shell director, and how many years will she save up to afford $18 million dollar home and $2 million jewelries? How much is the salary of a minister in Nigeria? Keep defending corruption.

Madam you can't denial the fact that you acquired most of your property through ill gotten wealth atleast aljazeera was right on that regard. Mind you,there is a sense in every nonsense.

Nigerians see every politicians as thieves not minding the fact that these people had a source of livelihood before they came into power. Can't she have Jewellery worth $2million dollars?? I presume even if a person like Davido who already displace his expensive Jewellery enters politics in Nigeria, people will say he used Nigeria's money to buy such...

This is clearly irresponsible of our Govt and it's Agencies.
Someone whom you are yet to charge to court and yet you have already determined her faith!

A friend of mine who bought a property(a plot of land with uncompleted three bedroom flat) in Gwaripa for 9million in 2007 plus additional 5million to finish the house, sold the same house in 2013 for 130million.

So it baseless to say Diezani house is worth 18 million dollars therefore she is corrupt, when it's possible the house could have been built while she was still with shell.

I pity my country under the present administration.

yemaldo:

Then let her sue efcc and federal government if she is not guilty

when was the last time the federal government recognized a court of competent jurisdiction in a case that doesn't favor them? Let me use the case of Nnamdi kanu vs FGN to update your mind. Pls go and sit down.

Whatever that may happened, this country is damaged beyond repair. We just need to fix it

Ovamboland:


Who is granting reprieve to those who lost their lives on East-West road, Oyo- Ogbomoso road, Lagos-Ibadan road, bleeding pregnant women rejected by government hospital because there is no bed nor enough doctors on duty all so that Diezani can buy jewelries, own homes worth Billions of naira and fly private jets.

Where was humanity when they looked away from citizens roasting in buses when they hit huge craters on expressways and had collisions with rickety fuel tankers. Thousands died to maintain their dubious lifestyle.

Can she earn farther than 10 million Naira a month as a Shell director, and how many years will she save up to afford $18 million dollar home and $2 million jewelries? How much is the salary of a minister in Nigeria? Keep defending corruption.

if you have a mother go home and ask her how much the gold(if any) your dad bought for her in the 60s,70s or 80s are worth now? My friend you will be amazed.

A friend of mine spent about 15 million to acquire a property in Gwaripa in 2007 only to sell in 2013 for 130million.
So the 18 million mansion could have been gotten at a cheaper rate.

I know bankers with lean income, but yet they struggled to own houses in Abuja.

Please remove your sentimental hat, so you can be more objective.

Hmmm, see Madam Diezani abeg. These not how to go about with defence of the accusations levelled against yhu. if yhu have concrete evidence, take all parties involve to court, and also apply for a defamation of character.
Shikenan fa wallahi

oduastates:
I doubt Messi wife's has $2 million worth of jewelry .
We are talking about someone grossing over $50 million annually.
This won has not even a candle or biscuit factory. Yet can afford a wardrobe with that amount in jewelry.
Tell me this is not the definition of a criminal.

Don't mind her, even we know how Ronaldo use to give charity money not even in his own country likewise messi too. Now she is claiming she earned all those money with her hard work which we know is still Nigerians money... See who is talking about shared humanity?? You live in a country where people are dying everyday because of abject poverty,no good road, no good hospital,poor electricity etc and you have the mind to go buy jewelries worth more than $2million just for you to look good. Even if it is truly your money what is bad is you use it to help the poor in your country that you where put in a leadership position? Material things that is of this world, how does she even want the ALMIGHTY GOD to be happy with her? When God had put you in a leadership position to to lead and to help the people and you demonstrated a careless attitude.

Ovamboland:


Who is granting reprieve to those who lost their lives on East-West road, Oyo- Ogbomoso road, Lagos-Ibadan road, bleeding pregnant women rejected by government hospital because there is no bed nor enough doctors on duty all so that Diezani can buy jewelries, own homes worth Billions of naira and fly private jets.

Where was humanity when they looked away from citizens roasting in buses when they hit huge craters on expressways and had collisions with rickety fuel tankers. Thousands died to maintain their dubious lifestyle.

Can she earn farther than 10 million Naira a month as a Shell director, and how many years will she save up to afford $18 million dollar home and $2 million jewelries? How much is the salary of a minister in Nigeria? Keep defending corruption.

Who is her husband?

$18 million+$2 million equals twenty million, why a round number if not for propaganda, which companies did the valuation of the said properties? Nigerians are hungry and are no longer interested in this anti corruption propaganda.

TPAND:
APC is just demeaning and demarketing Nigeria to the international media. I really weep for this country's posterity

Even Buhari went on the CNN to admit Nigeria is corrupt, just to paint their administration saints and make a mockery of GEJ, and many fools in this country praising him for doing such.

I always knew nothing has being held against Deziani, bad belle is what they have against that woman. Buhari's has more jewelleries than Alison Madueke

cry me a river.

"To give a dog a bad name" caught my attention. At least you know you're a dog Diezani. We didn't hear you give press statements when allegations of mass looting was leveled against you.

Permit me to tell you to shut up!. Thank you very much.

Wetin concern me

donsteady:
1- I remember when Obasanjo accused GEJ of training Snippers and all that bullshit..
2- I rmemeber when Buhari said fuel subsidies was a scam
3- I remember when Buhari said almighty Abacha never loots.
4-I remember when Sanusi said $20b was missing. Not Zimbabwen dollars ooo, but u United state dollars...

5-We all knew how much Abj worth in 1999

6-We all knew ATM when he started even before he was chased to Ghana.
7- and how about Jagaban? Innocent I guess?

8- What's name of that Kaduna mafia ? He was no body in 1999.

This lady worked her ass out for the nation she deserved some respect. Even if you want to probe, take her to court. And stop calling international medias to make her look like she embezzle more than Abj, Jagaban, ATM, lucky, Sherif, Fash,
The truth is APC sees us like fools and have no single respect for us.
They are using all of this shiit to distract us. $1 is 365, Fuel is 140, unemployment is increasing, NDA are bombing oil installations at free will.
This trash is to divert our attention. The nigger is still in London when he has already budgeted for that same shit we went to uk for.
This lady worked her ass out for the nation she deserved some respect.
I really wish all of us can unite against this divide and rule. Let's choose our nation first befor any political party. These old men have nothing to offer.

guy go rest , u no get gist ....
this isn't about APC and PDP , this is about dezani and truth b said she is a crook. ask my fellow Delta's dem go agree with me

bizza45:


guy go rest , u no get gist ....
this isn't about APC and PDP , this is about dezani and truth b said she is a crook. ask my fellow Delta's dem go agree with me

Amechi and Jagaban na waiting?