Great Victory for Diezani as UK releases report.

A prestigious United Kingdom, UK, Newspaper, ‘The Mail’ has on Sunday, May 8, released a report exposing luxurious mansions owned by some Nigerians, including those standing trial for corruption, while subtly exonerating the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of any crime.

The report came against the backdrop of a summit to be attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, on Thursday, May 12, in London.

In a report titled: ‘Palaces of Corruption’, the newspaper published pictures and locations of houses in the UK, belonging to two late former governors, who faced anti-corruption charges in their lifetime.

They are Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who governed Bayelsa State between 1999 and 2005, and Abubakar Audu, a two-term governor of Kogi State, who was seeking a return to the government house at the time of his death. Both men died in 2015.

The property of James Ibori, former Delta State governor, who is currently serving a jail term, was also included in the report, in addition to that of Jimoh Ibrahim, a Lawyer and billionaire businessman.

Ibrahim, though not a politician and has never been investigated for corruption, is believed to be heavily indebted to banks.

Based on the UK newspaper’s report, sources have described the allegations of money laundering and luxury homes allegedly owned by Diezani and her family in London, as a hoax.

“The London newspaper report is an eye opener. Many names of those who enriched themselves through public funds and built houses were mentioned, but there was no name called Diezani on the list. That is victory for her,” a family source said.

The children of Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan dictator; Omar Bongo, late president of Gabon; Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s leader; and Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Kyrgyzstan president, were also included in the list.

“Properties bought with dirty money often sit empty for long periods. Those living nearby have no idea who their neighbours are, undermining any sense of community. Most importantly, those properties are taken off the market, further squeezing housing supply,” the report read.

Recently, Süddeutsche Zeitung, a German newspaper, obtained documents, #Panama Papers, that exposed how over 100 Nigerians stashed billions in tax havens.