Unveiling Diezani Allison Madueke’s new N8.2 billion Global Express XRS jet

More shocking facts have emerged that that the embattled Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke maintained a second private jet which she used to fly around the world. ENCOMIUM Weekly checks revealed that the shocking discovery was made on Tuesday, March 22, 2014.

The jet, a Global Express XRS plane, is allegedly chartered specifically for her private and official trips overseas. Interestingly, the luxury toy is a whooping N8.2 billion jet as at 2010, because it’s one of the most expensive in the world.

The Bombardier Global Express is a large cabin, ultra long range business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Montreal, Canada. The Global Express features an advanced all new supercritical wing with a 35° sweep and winglets, plus a new T-tail. The aircraft is powered by two BMW Rolls Royce BR-710 turbofans with FADEC. The advanced flight deck features a six screen Honeywell Primus 2000 XP EFIS suite and is offered with optional heads-up displays. Typical configuration features 18 passenger seats including fully berthable seats and an aft lounge/bedroom. The aircraft has a full galley and two lavatories. It is manned by two expatriate pilots and four cabin crew members.

A return trip on the XRS plane is said to cost taxpayers €600,000 (N150 million) .And due to her tight schedule, it is estimated that she goes on official trips at least four times monthly. That’s an estimate of N600 million monthly and N7.2 billion yearly.

The jet is different from the Challenger 850, which the House of Representatives said gulped N10bn in the last two years to fly the minister.

The House Committee on Public Accounts stumbled on the second jet in the course of the ongoing probe into the N10bn expenditure on Challenger 850.

Findings also showed that the owners of Challenger 850 might have fled the country shortly after the House ordered an investigation into the transaction between them and Alison-Madueke.

It was gathered that the aircraft owners reportedly became jittery after the committee declared its plan to summon them to assist in the investigation of the jet acquisition.

Diezani K. Alison-Madueke (born 6 December, 1960) became Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation on July 26, 2007. She was moved to Mines and Steel Development in 2008, and in April 2010 was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Diezani K. Agama was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Her father was Chief Frederick Abiye Agama. She studied Architecture in England and then at Howard University in the United States. She graduated from Howard with a Bachelor’s degree on December 8, 1992.She returned to Nigeria and joined Shell Petroleum Development Corporation that year. In 2002, she attended Cambridge University for her MBA. In April 2006, Shell appointed her its first female Executive Director in Nigeria.

Since 1999, she has been married to Admiral Allison Madueke (retired), one-time Chief of Naval Staff who was at various times governor of Imo and Anambra State.

In September 2011, Alison-Madueke was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Management Sciences by the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.

Diezani Alison-Madueke has held three significant positions in the federal government. She was appointed Transport Minister in July 2007. On December 23, 2008, she was named Minister of Mines and Steel Development. After Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan became acting President in February 2010, he dissolved the cabinet on 17 March 2010, and swore in a new cabinet on 6 April 2010 with Alison-Madueke as Minister for Petroleum Resources.

In June 2008, Alison-Madueke was subject to a Senate probe after it emerged that as Transport Minister she had paid N30.9 billion  ($263 million) to contractors between December, 26 and 31,  2007. However, she has never been charged or tried for these allegations and has strongly denied any wrongdoing. In September 2008 there was an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap Alison-Madueke at her house in Abuja.

In October 2009, the Senate indicted Diezani Alison-Madueke and recommended prosecution for the alleged transfer of N1.2 billion into the private account of a toll company without due process and in breach of concession agreement. However, the allegations have never been taken to court, and the Minister maintains her innocence.

-FEMI OYEWALE