The Federal government has approached Justice John Tsoho, of an Abuja Federal High Court Abuja seeking for his guidance on whether to issue an arrest warrant against the former minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke.
At the resumption of hearing before the trial court, counsel to the Federal government, Johnson Ojogbane told the court that the FG was experiencing some difficulties in serving Adoke since he is outside the jurisdiction of the court.
“I would like to request for a warrant of arrest of the first defendant. I will appreciate if my lord will guide me because I actually wanted to make an application for a warrant of arrest. I also want the court to guide me on whether I can do that orally or come by way of a motion.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has the power to arrest anybody anywhere but when the person is not within the jurisdiction of the court, (outside the country) it becomes difficult”, he told the court.
He further averred that, if the order seeking to arrest Adoke is granted, it will become easier for the security agents to liaise with the International Police (InterPol) to initiate extradition moves.
The court however, told the Federal Government to make a proper application before the court adding that such applications are not done orally, and if Adoke was already arraigned before the court and was attempting to escape, it would have been proper to issue such a warrant.
“Once a person has been arraigned before a court and is attempting to escape, then it becomes necessary to issue a warrant of arrest; but in this case, Adoke has not been arraigned before this court. The matter is still to the investigative stage so such an order is not necessary”, the court held.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to June 13, 2017 for arraignment.
It will be recalled that FG had filed a nine-count charge against a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dan Etete, the Chairman A.A. Oil, Aliyu Abubakar, Adoke (SAN) and six companies for their alleged complicity in the payment of $400 million to Malabu Oil and Gas from a Nigerian escrow account with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London.
The money was said to have been paid into Malabu’s account in the defunct Bank PHB Plc, now Keystone Bank Limited.
Adoke was accused of illegally transferring more than $800 million purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Etete and Malabu Oil.
The federal government also on March 2, 2017, filed fresh charges against two multinational oil firms, Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and Agip Nigeria Exploration Limited, for alleged complicity in the Malabu $1.1 billion scandal.
Others charged along-side the two oil giants are Adoke, Etete, Abubakar, ENI SPA,
Ralph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujatti Stefeno, Burrafati Sebestiano and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.
Adoke had overtime, claimed innocence of any fraud in the controversial Malabu Oil Settlement Scandal, saying the transaction was approved by former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.
In a letter dated March 6, 2017 to the AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Adoke said he had sent the Attorney-General a detailed position paper on the transaction and also expressed willingness to provide additional explanations if required. But the former Attorney-General said having not received request for further explanation, he concluded that Mr. Malami and the Federal Government were satisfied with the steps taken to implement the Terms of Settlement and the resolution of the protracted ownership/operation dispute over the OPL 245.
Also, Pecos Energy limited, Mohammed Sani Ahmed has in a new suit instituted before the Federal High Court, Abuja has insisted that, it jointly held seventy percent (70%) shareholding in the equity of Malabu oil and gas.
The suit marked FHC/Abj/ CS/506/2017 against Kweku Amafegha, Munamuna Seidougha, Amaran Joseph, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Shell, Agip, Federal Government of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Petroleum Minister, and Department of Petrol Resources,
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that they have never divested themselves of their respective shoes in the equity of the Malabu oil and continue to be shareholders and Directors of the oil company.
The plaintiffs are Malabu oil, Mohammed Sani Ahmed and Pecos Energy limited respectively.
