Malabu deal: Nigerians urge Buhari to probe Jonathan, Diezani
Some Nigerians have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prosecute Goodluck Jonathan and Diezani Alison-Madueke to show that the anti-corruption campaign of the present administration is serious about tackling corruption in the country.
Calls for the arrest Jonathan and Madueke surfaced after Italian prosecutors named the former president and Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who served under his administration as Minister of Petroleum Resources, among those who allegedly received kickbacks in the controversial $1.3bn oil block deal involving oil giants ENI and Royal Dutch Shell.
READ ALSO: Obasanjo, Adoke, Fayemi allegedly fingered in Ajaokuta, Itakpe scandal
Jonathan and his minster were indicted by court documents filed late last month in the city of Milan which outlined a case against 11 people, including senior executives from the two oil majors and the companies themselves.
The prosecutors alleged that total of $801.5 million was allegedly transferred to the account of Nigerian businessman Dan Etete, of which $466 million was converted into cash in Nigeria and used for remunerating government officials, including Jonathan and Alison-Madueke, prosecutors said.
The prosecutors also alleged that another $54m was withdrawn by one Abubakar Aliyu, whom the prosecutors described as an “agent” of Jonathan.
The beneficiaries of the money went on a shopping spree buying “property, aeroplanes, armoured cars,” prosecutors stated in the court papers.
The recent exposure has come as a shock to some Nigerians who have called for Jonathan to be extradited to Italy to face prosecution for the Malabu scandal.
Others said the report in Italian court is evidence that Jonathan and those who served under his administration plundered the country.
READ ALSO: Malabu oil scandal: Ex-oil minister Etete to be tried in Italy
They described Jonathan and Diezani as enemies of Nigeria and urged the Buhari administration to ensure that they answer for their alleged embezzlement.
Read what aggrieved Nigerians are saying about the allegations against Jonathan and Diezani below:
Sincere said: "I have always said it that Jonathan and his group of demons stole and did this country slot of evil. No wonder his demons did all they could to see that the clueless one continued in office. May God help us from enemies within."
Menyinnah called for all those involved to be fished out and prosecuted, he said: "Both Nigerian EFCC and Italian anti-corruption agencies need establish those involved in corruption in the $1.3 billion OPL 245 block deal and hold them responsible as the law stated."
Fred Odorige was more forceful when he called for Jonathan to be sent to jail.
According to him: "You (Buhari) cannot be fighting corruption if Jonathan is not put on trial. In order to avoid civil disturbances, he should be arrested, prosecuted and jailed like Ibori whenever he travel abroad. Conceding defeat in the last election does not make him sancrosant. Elections are meant to be won and lost."
Yashim concurred by demanding that Jonathan Diezani face justice for what he described as "selling out their consciences to the detriment of the larger Nigerian nation!"
Another commentator, Aboikagbo, said the recent report had exposed Jonathan as a fraud.
"Gradually the dune is caving in. 99 days for the thief, 1 day for the owner. Stealing is corruption in Italy and soon the dumbo who did not see anything wrong in stealing will find himself explaining what corruption is in international court. Mind you, Italy is not Nigeria. Except the dumbo Jonathan did not travel abroad, he is as good as being arrested and detained abroad. Thief should not go unfurnished," he said.
Abu Abu on his part, took a swipe at supporters of the former president.
"Where are the Wailers! See GEJ finally nailed, even if FG doesn't prosecute him God will ask him to answer for this misdemeanor," he noted.
Another concerned Nigerian, Olufemi Adeniyi, called for the federal government to support the Italian prosecutors in investigation and extraditing Jonathan to face prosecution.
According to him: "It is time for the Presidency, DSS and EFCC to support Italian prosecutors and give intelligence reports and evidence to the Italian prosecutors so that the Italianos can help us to keep these international looters into Italian jails where the eyes of the likes of Asari cannot see.
"At last, what the Nigerian judiciary and the incompetent prosecuting agents cannot do successfully, the Italianos will help us to do them abundantly and have these certified thieves locked up for many years.
"Having these born theives that have their ND DNAs coated with looting in Italian jail will remove the cry of victimization and further pipeline vandalism by their sick people and followers
"If they are too powerful for the Nigeria government to prosecute or the government is intimidated or incapable to prosecute or the FG has bounded itself not to prosecute these shameless looters, we can now take the available Italian opportunity and hand over these looters to the Italians and we will all see what will become of them in a sane Italian county, it will be a mirror of Ibori and the UK courts.
"Over to you EFCC and DSS.
"Every Nigerian matters ooo, May God save Nigeria from ENEMIES WITHIN."
Okoh Ndidi Precious said: "I think some people said that President Buhari was using EFCC to harass former president Jonathan and Madueke , now that two of them have been fingered in the Malabu scandal, they should go and tell the italian government that they are been harassed"
A similar sentiment was shared by"Mohammed Isyaku who said: "Thank God this case is being head in far Italy, Nigeria is only to extradite him (Jonathan) when ever the request is made"
Meanwhile, Jonathan has reacted to the allegation that he received gratification to approve the controversial Malabu Oil transaction during his tenure.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, in Abuja on Tuesday, December 10, Jonathan said he did not send businessman Abubakar Aliyu or any other person to receive bribe on his behalf during or after the negotiation.
The former president also said he held no secret meeting with parties in the transaction at anytime.
What is your stance on the issue, do you support calls for Jonathan and Diezani to be extradited to face prosecution in Italy?
Source: Legit.ng
