By Alex Enumah in Abuja
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday gave approval to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) 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 investigation of Adoke over corruption allegations.
Adoke returned to the country Thursday after five years in exile, only to be arrested on arrival by the EFCC.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in 2017 filed charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and 10 others, including Adoke and Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited.
EFCC in the suit marked FCT/HC/CR/124/17, accused the defenfants of fraudulently allocating the Oil Prospecting Licence 245 otherwise known as Malabu Oil.
They were also accused of other forms of offences involving the sum of about $1.2billion, 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.
In order to prepare effectively for his prosecution, the Commission consequently approached the FCT court for an order to detain him pending the conclusion of investigation of corruption allegations.
The exparte application was moved by counsel to the EFCC, Fatima Mustapha and was granted by Justice Othman Musa.
Details later….
