A prosecution witness in the United Kingdom has told a London court how former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly spent about £170,000 on luxury furniture within 24 hours during a shopping trip in London.
The testimony was given on Monday, February 2, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court, where UK prosecutors are pursuing a case involving allegations of corruption and money laundering connected to Nigeria’s oil sector. All defendants have denied the allegations.
Alison-Madueke, a former OPEC president, is standing trial alongside her brother, Doye Agama, a former bishop, and Ayinde Olatimbo Bukola, an oil executive linked to Duchess Oil.
A prosecution witness, Monica, a director at Vincenzo Cafferrella, a luxury furniture gallery, told the court that the purchases included high-end chairs, tables, lamps, and other bespoke items. According to her evidence, the items were bought within a single day.
Prosecuting counsel, Ms. Leary, read out details of the transactions, which included Italian-made furniture and custom-designed pieces. The defence did not dispute that the purchases were made or the amounts involved.
However, the defence maintains that the central issue is not the spending itself but the source of the funds, rejecting claims that the money was linked to corruption or illicit oil revenues.
UK prosecutors say the case forms part of a broader investigation into the movement of oil-related funds outside Nigeria. The trial is expected to continue in the coming days.
