EXCLUSIVE: Diezani UK Trial: Nigeria Withdraws Ex-EFCC Chair Bawa From Witness List As Defence Targets His Credibility

However, sources familiar with the proceedings said Bawa was later withdrawn from appearing as a witness.

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, was reportedly scheduled to testify as a key witness in the corruption trial of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the United Kingdom.

However, sources familiar with the proceedings said Bawa was later withdrawn from appearing as a witness.

One of the sources told SaharaReporters that Bawa had already arrived in the UK before being withdrawn from the witness list.

The decision came amid concerns that Alison-Madueke’s defence team was preparing to aggressively challenge his credibility.

“Nigerian authorities reportedly later withdrew Bawa from appearing as a witness. The decision was taken after concerns emerged that Diezani’s defence attorneys were preparing to aggressively challenge Bawa’s credibility,” a source privy to the court proceedings told SaharaReporters.

The defence was reportedly set to scrutinise Bawa’s tenure at the EFCC, including claims that he had previously been detained and allegedly forced to return large sums of foreign currency, as well as two properties in Abuja.

The anticipated line of questioning was seen as a potential threat to the prosecution, raising fears that Bawa’s testimony could be undermined during cross-examination.

“The line of questioning was expected to portray Bawa as compromised. This raised fears that his testimony could be significantly undermined during cross-examination,” the source said.

As a result, Nigerian authorities reportedly removed him from the witness list to prevent any weakening of the case against the former oil minister.

However, SaharaReporters’ attempts to reach Bawa on his mobile phone were unsuccessful, as his lines were not available, suggesting he may be outside the country.

He also did not answer WhatsApp calls to his mobile numbers and failed to respond to WhatsApp messages sent to him at the time of filing this report.

On February 25, SaharaReporters reported that the corruption trial of Alison-Madueke at Southwark Crown Court in London took a dramatic turn, as prosecutors presented evidence suggesting her relationship with suspected money launderer and billionaire businessman Kola Aluko went far beyond professional oil dealings. 

Central to the case are audio recordings retrieved from a Samsung phone belonging to Alison-Madueke.

The tapes, played in court, reportedly capture emotional and romantic exchanges between the former minister and Aluko, highlighting what prosecutors described as a bond marked by intimacy and mutual protection. 

In one recording, Aluko is heard reassuring Alison-Madueke of his loyalty, telling her he was “loyal like a dog” after she expressed feelings of betrayal over leaks within their inner circle.

Another recording from May 2014, referred to in court as the “Playboy Lecture,” captured Alison-Madueke admonishing Aluko for his lavish lifestyle and public image. 

“As far as everybody’s concerned, you’re a playboy,” she warned, criticising his appearances with supermodels such as Naomi Campbell.

Prosecutors noted that she cautioned him that such “parading” could draw the attention of “intelligencer,” a term they suggested referred to intelligence agencies monitoring their activities. 

In court, Alison-Madueke was heard questioning Aluko’s high-profile purchase of the $80 million Galactica Star yacht.

She reportedly advised him to lease rather than buy, arguing that such discretion would help conceal their financial dealings.

The depth of their bond was underscored in a viral recording where Alison-Madueke issued a chilling ultimatum: “I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself… let us see who survives, me or you.”

Prosecutors described the exchange not as a mere dispute between business partners, but as evidence of a “suicide pact” between two individuals entangled in a billion-dollar corruption scheme.

While Alison-Madueke denies all charges of bribery, the court is examining whether the recordings demonstrate a romantic conspiracy that fueled one of Africa’s largest financial scandals.

The former president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Alison-Madueke is facing five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

She is standing trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, an ally of President Bola Tinubu, and her brother, 69-year-old Doye Agama, who also face bribery charges linked to the case.

Alison-Madueke, now 65, served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan.