EFCC takes Adoke into custody after his ‘voluntary return’

The former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has been taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement released by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Friday evening, the anti-graft said Adoke arrived from Dubai “into the waiting arm of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja”.

It said Adoke has pending criminal charge “for alleged abuse of office and money laundering in respect of the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI”.

“It would be recalled that the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked the OPL 245, which the late General Sani Abacha granted Dan Etete, his then Petroleum Minister, and reassigned it to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company,” it said.

“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 $1.1billion.

“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.”

Uwujaren said his return to Nigeria “clears the way for him to answer to the charges against him”.

Mike Ozekhome, Adoke’s counsel, said he was picked up on arrival on Thursday by Interpol officials.

He was later moved into EFCC custody.

Adoke had voluntarily returned to the country after he was released by Dubai police following a legal deadlock on Nigeria’s request to repatriate him to stand trial over the controversial OPL 245 transaction.

The EFCC later released Adoke’s picture on its Twitter handle.

Earlier, Ozekhome had issued a statement announcing Adoke’s return and explaining why he chose to return to the country.