Interpol officials arrest Adoke at Abuja airport

According to Mike Ozekhome, Adoke’s Counsel, the ex-minister was arrested on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja shortly after his return from Dubai.

Adoke returned to Nigeria after spending five weeks in the custody of the International Criminal Police Organization in Dubai over the controversial OPL 245 transaction.

While announcing the arrest of the ex-minister of Justice, Ozekhome in a terse message to media houses said, Adoke “was picked up at the foot of the aircraft by Interpol, refusing anyone access to him. He is believed to be on his way to the Interpol office at Area 10, Garki, Abuja.”

The charges against Adoke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed fraud charges against the former Attorney-General over a shady ‎$1.1 billion oil deal.

The anti-graft agency also filed charges against Dan Etete, former petroleum minister, and a businessman, Abubakar Aliyu, for their involvement in the oil deal.

Adoke and former Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, were said to have approved the transfer of about $1.1 billion into Nigerian accounts controlled by Etete.

Following a warrant of arrest request by the EFCC over the controversial OPL 245 deal, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja issued the warrant against Adoke, alongside others who were indicted in the shady deal.