Local law enforcement officials have collaborated with British security agents to arrest the former Petroleum minister.
Sources say they had clandestinely been working with their colleagues in the British National Crime Agency to effect the arrest of the embattled former minister, Diezani Allison Madueke.
She was arrested in London earlier today according to Premium Times.
British Embassy officials in Lagos told the internet medium, “This morning, five people between the ages of 21 and 60 were arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption offences. The crimes are being investigated by the National Crime Agency.
“The National Crime Agency does not confirm identity at arrest nor provide information that could be used to corroborate the identity of an arrested individual.”
Speaking with the Herald, an EFCC source craving anonymity said the arrest was effected after months of investigation by British officials prompted by the Buhari administration and co-anchored by local law enforcement agents.
It will be recalled President Muhammadu Buhari had on September 27 hinted that those who misappropriated billions of naira belonging to Nigeria’s state oil company NNPC, would soon be prosecuted.
Mr. Buhari said at a meeting with President Xi Jinping of China in New York that his administration was determined to fully sanitize Nigeria’s oil industry and make it totally free of corruption and shady deals.
The President did not, however, say how soon the prosecutions would start or if indeed investigations had been concluded and whether culpable individuals had been identified.
The NNPC under the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan was involved in several shady deals, many of which have been cancelled by the present government.
However, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, accused of several corrupt dealings, has stayed away from Nigeria since Mr. Buhari was sworn-in as president.