Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, has vehemently denied allegations of receiving bribes from Diezani Alison-Madueke or her associates, as asserted in a UK court case. The prosecution in the UK accused Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, of receiving bribes such as cash, luxury items, private jet flights, and the use of high-end UK properties in exchange for awarding oil contracts.
The court documents indicated that Olatimbo Bukola Ayinde, one of the defendants and an associate of Alison-Madueke, allegedly bribed Kachikwu in August 2015 to influence his actions as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
In response, Kachikwu issued a statement on Thursday refuting the allegations. He stated, "I never met any of the accused before, all through and after my public service period, and was not offered nor received any bribe nor did any of the accused persons receive any business favors while I served."
Kachikwu, a respected scholar and former NNPC GMD, has served in various prominent roles, including Minister of State for Petroleum, President of the African Petroleum Producers Association, and President of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The allegations have surfaced amid ongoing legal proceedings related to corruption in Nigeria's oil sector.
