By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), has claimed that he was reliably informed of a plan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to raid his Okenne, Kogi country home as part of sustained onslaught against him.
Adoke alleged that the raid which would take place any moment from now was part EFCC’s campaign to soil his good name.
The former AGF warned that he would no longer take the harassments of his family and serial invasions of his homes lying low and would now seek all legal means to enforce his rights, including asking for damages.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Media, Victor Akhidenor, the former AGF accused the EFCC operatives of having carried out raid on his home in Kano without finding anything to substantiate their allegations.
“We gathered that the swoop on the country home of the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice will happen any moment from now as part of EFCC’s sustained campaign to soil the good name of Mr. Adoke in the guise of seeking evidence to indict
“It would be recalled that earlier this week, the EFCC invaded Adoke’s residence in Kano State, breaking doors, upturning chairs and tables, and generally disturbing the peace of the neighbourhood. They claimed they were looking for documents with which to substantiate their wild allegations of corruption against Mr. Adoke.
“They did not find anything incriminating as there was no such document.
That action alone has established one fact; that the EFCC has no shred of evidence on which they had charged Mr. Adoke to court. It was after charging him that they now started hunting around for evidence. Is this justice?
“After turning up with nothing in Kano, now the EFCC want to conduct another dramatic campaign in Okenne for the cameras, and we are certain that like the previous raids which turned up nothing, no incriminating document or item would be found in the premises in Okenne or anywhere else for that matter because no such document exist”, he insisted.
In the statement, the media aide explained Adoke’s involvement in the Malabu oil bloc saga saying he only acted as directed by the former President, Goodluck Jonathan and in the best interest of the country.
He had also said the former AGF handed over all documents and items relating to the issue to his successor, Abubakar Malami (SAN) when he left government.
“He did not enrich himself or anyone through the course of the transaction, which had been concluded long before he assumed office. He completed his brief to the best of his abilities and knowledge, and has since moved on.
“However, for whatever reasons, the EFCC appear to have a different opinion on the Malabu issue and has made the harassment of Mr. Adoke, his family and associates their past time, without providing any proof of wrongdoing.
“We wish to warn that Mr. Adoke would no longer take these harassments of his family and serial invasions of his homes lying low and will now seek all legal means to enforce his rights, including asking for damages. He will also petition international human rights organisations, the UN and other international groups to intimate them of the willful abuse of his rights by the EFCC.
“Finally, we put Nigerians on notice that with the desperation shown by the EFCC, it is not unlikely that they may want to plant incriminating document or cash in the Okenne home of Adoke and claim that same were found in the premises”, he concluded.
