The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has revealed that her efforts to expose an alleged $2.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud in Nigeria triggered threats against her and the eventual kidnapping of her mother in 2012.
Okonjo-Iweala, who served as Nigeria’s finance minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan, disclosed that the kidnappers demanded her resignation and departure from the country as conditions for releasing her mother.
She recounted the experience during an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua on the Leaders programme, describing the incident as one of the most painful periods of her life.
According to her, the investigation began after officials noticed a sharp increase in claims submitted by fuel importers under Nigeria’s petroleum subsidy programme.
At the time, Nigeria depended heavily on imported refined petroleum products to meet domestic demand, despite being a major crude oil producer. The government’s subsidy scheme involved payments to importers to enable them to sell petrol at regulated prices.
However, the rising claims submitted by importers raised concerns about possible financial irregularities, prompting Okonjo-Iweala to seek presidential approval for an audit.
“I went to the president and said, look, something is going on here. Could we audit the accounts? And he said, yes, go ahead. And we found about $2.4 billion worth of fraud. So we refused to pay,” she said.
Kidnappers Demanded Her Resignation
Okonjo-Iweala explained that the decision to withhold payments linked to the alleged fraud was followed by threats against her, culminating in the abduction of her mother, Kamene Okonjo.
She said the kidnappers insisted that she resign from her position as finance minister and leave Nigeria before her mother could be released.
“I was told that for her to be released, I should resign and leave the country,” she recalled.
The WTO chief described the five-day ordeal as particularly traumatic because she feared that her determination to tackle financial misconduct could cost her mother her life.
“It was a terrible, terrible five-day ordeal. I think the worst in my life,” she said.
Her mother was reportedly held in a forest during the incident but eventually escaped one night.
“She was held in the middle of a forest, and one night she escaped. She’s still alive. She’s 96 now,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
She added that her mother still becomes distressed whenever the incident is discussed, highlighting the lasting emotional impact of the kidnapping.
Says She Would Have Chosen Her Mother Over Her Job
Reflecting on the crisis, Okonjo-Iweala admitted that she initially felt overwhelmed by fear and considered resigning to secure her mother’s freedom.
She said that, despite her commitment to public service, protecting her mother’s life would always have taken priority over retaining her government position.
“Between my mother, having my mother alive and staying in a job, I would pick my mother any day,” she stated.
However, she recalled that her father encouraged her not to surrender to the kidnappers’ demands, urging her to remain committed to her responsibilities.
“He said, we don’t give in to blackmail. And he said, you’ve got to carry on. You’ve got to go to work,” she recounted.
Okonjo-Iweala said the incident left her with a lingering sense of guilt, as she continued to reflect on the possibility that her actions against alleged corruption had exposed her family to danger.
“I never dreamt my parents could ever be touched in this way, that people would be that evil,” she said.
Experience Strengthened Her Resolve Against Corruption
Despite the personal cost of her anti-corruption efforts, Okonjo-Iweala said her experiences had made her more patient and strengthened her ability to seek solutions during difficult situations.
She maintained that protecting public resources remained essential, particularly in countries where limited financial resources must be carefully managed to meet citizens’ needs.
“I feel that this is a real fight that has to be waged. If you are a country that is not that rich, every single penny counts,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala served as Nigeria’s finance minister under the Jonathan administration before assuming office as WTO director-general in March 2021.
Her mother was kidnapped from her residence in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, in December 2012. The incident attracted widespread national attention and raised concerns about the safety of the finance minister’s family.
The disclosure has once again drawn attention to the personal risks and sacrifices that can accompany efforts to tackle alleged financial misconduct and protect public funds.
