Goodluck Jonathan Named in Malabu Oil Scandal

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been implicated in the Malabu Oil Scandal. The Federal Government has accused Jonathan and the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of accepting bribes and breaking the country’s laws in order to broker a huge $1.3 billion oil deal, 8 years ago.

The deal is reported to have involved Royal Dutch Shell and Eni jointly acquiring the rights to an offshore oilfield – Oil Prospecting Licence 245.

In papers advancing the London commercial court suit against Shell and Eni, lawyers for the Nigerian government said Jonathan and Alison-Madueke conspired to "receive bribes and make a secret profit", keeping the government from getting what it was owed from the deal.

"Bribes were paid. The receipt of those bribes and the participation in the scheme of said officials was in breach of their fiduciary duties and Nigerian criminal law," the filing reviewed by Reuters said.

The former President has denied any wrongdoing calling it ‘a recycled falsehood.’