EFCC confirms Daily Trust/Dubawa fact-check on Diezani’s diamond bra

Barely two weeks after Daily Trust newspapers and Dubawa published a fact-check on whether or not there was a diamond bra alleged to be the world’s most expensive bra among items said to be forfeited by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison- Madueke, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the outcome of the fact-check. 

A report by a national daily had claimed that amongst items forfeited by the ex-minister who allegedly stole $2.5bn are, “properties located at Ikoyi, Banana Island Foreshore Estate in Lagos including 18 flats and six penthouses.” It stated that, other items include 125 wedding gowns, 13 small gowns, 11 suites, 41 waist trainers, 11 invisible bras, 30 brasiers as well as magic skirts and other items.

However, social media had gone agog with claims that among the bras was a diamond bra alleged to be the world’s most expensive bra and valued at $12.5m.

A fact-check on the claim, published by Daily Trust and Dubawa on October 7, 2021 reached a verdict that the claim being peddled on social media that the former Minister of Petroleum Resources had a diamond bra acclaimed as the world’s most expensive bra was false. 

The fact-check had reached its conclusion after it traced the history of the world’s most expensive bra to the ‘heavenly star bra’ created in 2001 by Victoria Secrets; an American lingerie, clothing and beauty retailer which was won on the catwalk by supermodel Heidi Klum in 2001.  

Downloading various pictures of Victoria Secret’s bras, social media users in Nigeria had depicted them as the alleged bras said to be forfeited by Mrs Alison-Madueke. But the fact checks by Daily Trust and Dubawa had punctured the claims as false. This reporter had also reached out to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation which is in charge of the forfeited items to clarify the issue. 

The Media Aid to the Attorney General of the Federation, Malam Umar Gwandu, had equally debunked the claim of the diamond bra. 

While confirming the outcome of the fact-check, the Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, on Wednesday said there was no diamond bra recovered from Diezani Alison-Madueke’s forfeited items. Speaking when he featured on a TVC talk show, ‘Your View,’ Bawa clarified: “You have accused us several times of media trial, but I think it’s good to be fair to everybody at all times. Justice is a two-way thing, there was nothing like diamond bra. It’s a creation of social media.” 

He further said: “I can tell you that for free because I am the lead investigator on that, I’m not aware of it. If there is something on that, I should know because I led the search and all of that. And that is one of the things that I mentioned to you that the biggest problem we have is our attitude. We need to change for the better.”