FG to extradite Adoke, others over $1.1bn scandal

The Federal Government is making all necessary arrangements to extradite to Nigeria, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, to face charges of fraud.

Mr Johnson Ojogbane, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the agency prosecuting Adoke, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja.

On the last adjourned date, the judge, Justice John Tsoho, fixed June 13, for arraignment of Adoke and the other co-defendants.

Ojogbane, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the matter could not proceed because the EFCC had been unable to get Adoke and other defendants.

"The matter was adjourned until today for arraignment of the defendants, but up till now, we have not been able to secure the attendance of most of the defendants, because they are outside jurisdiction, that is they are outside the country.

"The Federal Government is doing everything within its powers to bring them back to Nigeria so that they can face their trial.

"The government will take steps, in collaboration with the international police to locate them and bring them back to Nigeria through extradition, which is a very cumbersome process, but it will be done," Ojogbane said.

He said the court adjourned the matter until Oct. 26 after the court’s vacation to enable the process of bringing Adoke and others back to Nigeria to be intensified.

NAN recalls that the EFCC had in December 2016, charged nine suspects, including Adoke, over the purchase of OPL 245.

Adoke was accused of illegally transferring more than $800 million purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Dan Etete, Malabu Oil.

The Federal Government had also on March 2, filed fresh charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and Agip Nigeria Exploration Limited for alleged complicity in the Malabu $1.1 billion scandal.

Adoke, Etete, Aliyu Abubakar, ENI Spa, Ralph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujatti Stefeno, Burrafati Sebestiano and Malabu Oil and Gas were charged alongside the two multinational oil companies.