Diezani asks court to strike down arrest warrant against her.

The former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to set aside the bench warrant issued against her in July 2020.

She made the plea in a motion on notice brought by her counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

The ex-minister had in the motion sought an order extending the time within which she could apply for the order discharging the bench warrant.

Alison-Madueke, who served as minister during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015, was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corruption during her time in office.

She left the country shortly before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

The commission had in an ex-parte motion sought a bench warrant against Alison-Madueke.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who granted the order on July 24, 2020, directed that the ex-minister should be arrested by security agents anywhere within or outside the country.

Alison-Madueke, who sought an order granting leave to apply for the order, also urged the court to strike out her name as “a defendant in charge number; FHC/ABJ/CR/208/2018 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria V. Diezani Alison Madueke, pending before the court.

The charge was brought pursuant to Sections 36 (1) and (8), 35 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered); Section 1, 113, 114, 382 (4 & 5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; and under the inherent powers of the court as preserved by Section 6(6A) of the 1999 Constitution.