By Henry Odu-
The Nigerian government has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan and his former oil minister of accepting bribes to broker a $1.3 billion oil deal eight years ago, according to a London court filing shows.
In a separate law suit, the Nigerian government has also filed a London case against U.S. bank JPMorgan , alleging it transferred over $800 million of government funds to a former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete, once in charge of Malabu Oil and gas, and a convict of money laundering. JPMorgan has denied any wrongdoing.
Legal representatives for the Nigerian government said Jonathan and former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke conspired to “receive bribes and make a secret profit”, keeping the government from getting what it was owed from the deal.
The deal, in which Anglo-Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell and Italian peer Eni jointly acquired the rights to the OPL 245 offshore oilfield, has spawned legal cases spanning several countries.
CONSPIRACY
The London commercial court suit against Shell and Eni lawyers for the Nigerian government accuse Jonathan and former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke of conspiring to “receive bribes and make a secret profit”, keeping the government from getting what it was owed from the deal.The deal involves a joint deal between Anglo-Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell and Italian peer Eni .
The lawsuit alleges that Shell and Eni made illegal payments to acquire the licence. It also claims that over $1 billion was transferred to the Nigerian government. Milan prosecutors say that the bulk of that money was sent on to Malabu Oil and Gas, under the authority of former oil minister, Dan Etete.
The Nigerian government claim in the court filing that it only received a $209 million signature bonus in relation to the deal. It also estimates the value of the oilfield to have been “at least $3.5 billion”. It said it would seek to calculate damages on that basis.
The Nigerian government has also filed a London case against U.. bank JPMorgan for its role in transferring over $800 million of government funds to Etete, who has been convicted of money laundering. JPMorgan has denied any wrongdoin
Meanwhile, a petition tribunal contesting the legitimacy of the 2019 Nigerian elections has been set for May 15. The date was set at a court pre hearing on Wednesday. Atiku Abubakar filed the petition in March following the announcement of the result of the presidential election held in February, which he alleges to have been marked by corruption.