Alison-Madueke Family Reacts, Says Diezani Was Never Arrested

Following the ongoing travails of Nigeria's former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, over allegations of money laundering and bribery brought against her by the United Kingdom, UK, National Crime Agency, the family of Rear-Admiral Allison Madueke (Retd), husband of the former minister has finally released a statement to set the records straight.

The statement, entitled: "The Truth Versus The Media Hysteria Against The Madueke Family," signed by Barrister Oscar Onwudiwe, for and on behalf of the Madueke and Agama families, stated that Diezani is currently battling with cancer, which started while she was in office, and that she has been receiving treatment in the UK .

Also adding that her health crisis has unfortunately exacerbated in recent times, the family said she completed months of chemotherapy just last week and is scheduled to undergo surgery next week in London.

The family however, urged Nigerians to pray for her recovery, adding that she is ready face the allegations and give account of her stewardship, while in office.

It added that the health crisis has unfortunately exacerbated in recent times, She completed months of chemotherapy just last week and she is scheduled to undergo surgery next week in London.

Read the full statement below:

1. In this era of cyber terrorism, decency dictates that one should respond to false and defamatory allegations with silence. But there is a limit to how much any reasonable person can bear the tactics of these cyber terrorists. We all know that what makes a lie fly is the little truth contained therein. This happens to be the weapon used by most online news media to feed their weird obsession with defaming highly placed people.

2. The Madueke family is appalled at the ongoing media frenzy against Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke by a section of the mass media following an invitation to her by the British authorities last Friday for reasons which have yet to be disclosed. For the avoidance of doubt, the family would like to state categorically that it has no issues with any persons from the family being invited anywhere in the world to answer questions about their private or official conduct. The Madueke family believes in law and order, honour and due process.

3. However, it is clear that here is a deliberate and vicious campaign to demonise members of the Madueke family, with all manner of frivolous allegations.For example, an online news media gleefully published that Mr. Ugonna Madueke "owns at least three properties in the United States." It even called the properties "POSH" and went on to state the addresses. THEY LIED.

4. Mr. Ugonna Madueke has NO PROPERTY ANYWHERE in the United States and has NEVER OWNED ONE. The USA is a country which runs on transparency, accountability and technology. A little honest effort by the online news media would have provided in a few minutes the true ownership of the properties at issue.

5. For historical accuracy, the Madueke family avers without any fear of contradiction that 11711 Scooter Lane (a three bedroom town house) in Fairfax, Virginia, was acquired by the Madueke family in 1997 when Ugonna was only 10 years old. Ugonna's siblings lived in this property while attending George Mason University in Virginia, USA.

Records available to the appropriate authorities in the United States can also show that 13116 Silver Maple Court in Bowie, Maryland, USA belongs to an uncle of the Madueke siblings and was purchased in 1995 when Ugonna was only 8 years old.

As a student of the University of Maryland in 2002, Ugonna stayed with his uncle at the said address. All of this was before Mrs. Diezani was appointed to government office. No Madueke or a distant relation has anything to do with the ownership of No. 4227 Summit Manor Court in Virginia.

6. It is evident that what the online news media did was to turn on an internet search engine and maliciously reported that every property where Ugonna Madueke has ever lived in the United States or used as his address must belong to him. The description of the properties as POSH was the icing on the propaganda cake. This is not only unprofessional, as it offends the tenets of journalism, it is clearly not in resonance with good conscience.