Nigeria’s controversial Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, has returned to a London hospital to continue treatment for an undisclosed ailment that is believed to be cancer.
Sources said today that Mrs. Allison-Madueke made the journey last week, and began a daily therapy. She is yet to return to Abuja.
Her one-week absence from Abuja has emboldened those Nigerians who have been calling for her removal to further pressure President Goodluck Jonathan to sack her as Minister of Petroleum Resources. She is frequently cited on allegations of corruption and mismanagement, but is also known to be a close friend of the President’s.
Recently, the French government impounded a private jet that was carrying Jide Omokore, a business associate of the Minister, on suspicions that the jet-a Bombardier Global Express XRS- belongs to her.
Investigations show that the jet was purchased by the Bank of Utah Trustee in June 2012 through the same process that was recently used in purchasing private jets for the governors of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.