FILE- In
this Tuesday, March 4, 2014 file photo, former Nigerian petroleum
resources minister Diezani Alison-Madueke answers a question following a
speech at the IHS CERAWeek, in Houston. The family of the former oil
minister is asking Nigerians to pray for her as she fights cancer and
British allegations of corruption. A statement from Diezani
Alison-Madueke's lawyer denies she was arrested and says she was "merely
invited" to answer questions by Britain's National Crime Agency last
week. Lawyer Oscar M. Onwudiwe said Friday, Oct. 9, 2015 the family asks
for Nigerians' prayers as the ex-minister undergoes surgery next week
after months of chemotherapy and hopes to emerge strong enough to
confront the allegations. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan, file)
By MICHELLE FAUL, Associated Press
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The
family of the former oil minister is asking Nigerians to pray for her as
she fights cancer and British allegations of corruption.
A statement Friday from Diezani Alison-Madueke's lawyer denied she
was arrested in London last week and said she was "merely invited" to
answer questions by Britain's National Crime Agency.
The agency confirmed only that it briefly arrested five unidentified people in a bribery and money-laundering investigation.
Nigerian newspapers reported Alison-Madueke had been arrested and released on bail.
The ex-minister has been in London for months since her party lost
power and President Muhammadu Buhari took office in May promising to
halt endemic corruption.
Nigeria's former Central Bank governor has alleged $20 billion in oil
sales went missing in two years under Alison-Madueke's watch.
Nigerian media identified Alison-Madueke as the minister that the
U.S. Justice Department told Buhari had looted $6 billion. Edo State
Gov. Adams Oshiomhole was at the meeting and reported Buhari was given
the name of the minister, but he did not identify the person.
Lawyer Oscar M. Onwudiwe denied allegations of corruption and media
reports of the Madueke family's ownership of multimillion-dollar homes
in Britain and the United States, denouncing "a deliberate and vicious
campaign to demonize members of the Madueke family."
He said Alison-Madueke has been in London receiving months of chemotherapy and will undergo surgery next week.
"The family ... would plead with all reasonable Nigerians to pray for
her recovery so that she can face these allegations and give account of
her stewardship," the lawyer said.
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