EFCC secures court order to detain Adoke for 14 days

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), yesterday, granted an order to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking to detain former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) for 14 days.  

The order was to enable the anti-graft agency conclude its investigations into allegations of corruption brought against Adoke. Adoke returned to the country last Thursday after five years in self-exile and was immediately arrested at the airport by the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency had in 2017 filed charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and 10 others, including Adoke and Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited.The EFCC in the suit marked FCT/HC/CR/124/17, accused the defenfants of fraudulent allocation of the Oil Prospecting Licence 245 otherwise known as Malabu Oil.  

They were also accused of other forms of offences involving about $1.2 billion, forgery of bank documents, bribery and corruption. The alleged $1.2 billion scam involved the transfer of the OPL 245 purportedly from Malabu Oil and Gas Limited to Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Co. Limited and Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited.  

To prepare effectively for Adoke’s prosecution, the Commission approached the FCT High Court for an order to detain him pending the outcome of investigation.The exparte application was moved by counsel to the EFCC, Fatima Mustapha, and was granted by Justice Othman Musa.