Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has described her acquittal on bribery charges in the United Kingdom as the end of years of what she called “unjust vilification.”

A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London cleared Alison-Madueke of all six bribery-related charges on Wednesday following several hours of deliberation.

The allegations against the former minister date back to October 2015 when she was arrested in London shortly after leaving office. Although she was released on bail, investigations into the case continued for years.

Her trial commenced in January 2026 after UK authorities formally charged her in August 2023 over allegations linked to a £100,000 bribe.

Prosecutors accused Alison-Madueke of receiving luxury gifts and access to high-end properties from oil industry executives in exchange for facilitating the award of lucrative oil and gas contracts while serving in government.

However, her defence team argued that she exercised limited authority over the approval of such contracts, maintaining that many of the decisions were made before reaching her office.

Speaking in a video following the verdict, Alison-Madueke expressed gratitude to God, her family, friends, and supporters, describing the legal battle as one of the most difficult periods of her life.

“I’m just thankful to God. It’s been a very arduous and long journey, almost 11 years. It has been traumatic not just for me, but also for my family, friends, and everyone who stood by me,” she said.

She added that her faith sustained her throughout the ordeal, saying she always believed justice would prevail.

In a separate statement issued through her representative, Bolouere Opukiri, the former minister said the verdict brought to an end “a decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny.”

“I give thanks to Almighty God for His faithfulness and for the complete vindication I have received. I am grateful to my legal counsel for their diligence and to my family and friends for their steadfast support and encouragement throughout this period,” the statement read.

Expressing relief at the outcome, Alison-Madueke said her name had finally been cleared and that the long-running ordeal was over.

While noting that she would address the events of the past decade and discuss her future plans at a later date, she said her immediate focus would be on enjoying the freedom she believes had been denied to her for many years.