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- Agency: He’ll face charges in respect of $1.1bn oil deal
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), into custody.
The former AGF arrived the country yesterday from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) into the waiting arm of operatives of the EFCC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 3:45p.m.
The embattled former chief law officer, who spotted a white dress (kaftan), was subsequently led away by the operatives to a fortified facility, for possible interrogation.
Since 2015, when he travelled out, this, perhaps, is the first time the former minister will be “visiting” the country.
Until his arrival in the country yesterday, Adoke had been held by the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL) since November 11.
Prior to the said arrest in Dubai, the EFCC had obtained an order of court for Adoke’s arrest, even as another court was said to have made a counter order restraining the commission from taking him in.
The anti-graft agency had, sometime in 2016, filed a criminal charge against Adoke before the Federal High Court in Abuja, over the Oil Prospective Licence (OPL) 245 settlement deal, otherwise known as Malabu scandal.
He has, however, denied the fraud allegations levelled against him.
Head of INTERPOL in Nigeria, Mr. Umar Garba, a senior police officer, was earlier quoted by Premium Times as saying that: “We have a red notice for him and we have instructions to arrest him upon arrival in Nigeria. We have carried out those instructions diligently and professionally.
“We have been in touch with the EFCC, which is the Nigerian law enforcement organisation that is interested in Mr. Adoke. We are going to hand him over immediately after debriefing him.”
His lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) confirmed that he was arrested by Interpol.
“He 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,” his lawyer, Ozekhome, said.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), when contacted, declined comment on the ground that there are court cases on issues relating to Adoke.
Malami insisted that it would not be fair for him to make comments now, adding that the Ministry of Justice will, for now, watch events as unfold.
The EFCC has since confirmed taking Adoke into custody, saying his return to the country, will clear the way for him to answer to the charges against him.
In a statement to that effect, spokesperson for the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujarem, said Adoke arrived “into the waiting arms of operatives” at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“Adoke, who fled the country in 2015, has pending criminal charge brought against him by the EFCC for alleged abuse of office and money laundering in respect of the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI,” Uwujarem said.
Earlier, Ozekhome had disclosed that Adoke was on his way back to the country shortly after he was released by Interpol in Dubai.
Adoke was arrested on November 11 in Dubai by the Interpol immediately he entered the country to seek medical attention.
The Interpol said their action was based on an international bench warrant for Adoke’s arrest issued on April 17, 2019 by Justice Senchi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
But Adoke had insisted his arrest in Dubai was illegal since the purported bench warrant has been vacated by the same court.
However, having found no reason to continue to keep him, the Interpol and the authorities in UAE, had to release him yesterday.
According to Ozekhome, the former AGF opted to come back to Nigeria so as to enable him clear his name in the alleged fraud in the Oil Prospecting Licence 245, otherwise known as Malabu Oil deal.
“He has been released in Dubai and he is airborne to Nigeria. He has been released because nothing was found against him, nothing incriminating was found. So the UAE authorities and Interpol were forced to release him.
“He opted to come to Nigeria, he could have gone to any other country of his choice,” Ozekhome said.
He disclosed that Adoke bought his ticket himself to return to Nigeria because he believed he is innocent of the charges against him.
“He is coming on his own volition, he was not extradited, the Federal Government could not extradite him and would even have no reason to arrest him on his arrival because the order for his arrest has been set aside by Justice Senchi on October 25,” Ozekhome added.
Adoke’s extradition was faced with some huddles following failure of the Federal Government to communicate with Interpol and the authorities in Dubai, on the order setting aside the bench warrant for his arrest.
The anti-graft agency recalled that the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had revoked the OPL 245, which the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, granted Dan Etete, his then Petroleum Minister, and reassigned it to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company.
According to Uwujarem, “Etete’s Malabu Oil and Gas, however, reclaimed the oil block in 2006 through the court. While Shell challenged the decision, a ‘fraudulent settlement and resolution’ was consummated under President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, with Shell and ENI buying the oil block from Malabu in the sum of $1.1 billion.
“Investigations by the EFCC into the deal revealed crimes that border on conspiracy, forgery of bank documents, bribery, corruption and money laundering to the tune of over $1.2 billion against Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep (SNUD), Nigeria Agip Exploration (NAE) and their officials, culminating in criminal charges against Adoke, Etete and others, which are pending at both the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“The absence of the defendants slowed the prosecution of the criminal charges against Adoke, Etete, and four others, forcing the EFCC to obtain an arrest warrant against them on April 17, 2019.”
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