Court Orders EFCC To Keep Adoke For Another 14 Days

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted the EFCC’s request to detain former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke for another fourteen days.

Justice Othman Musa, who had earlier on December 20, 2019, granted the commission’s request to detain the ex-AGF for initial 14 days pending investigations, renewed the detention order following a fresh ex parte application by the EFCC on Thursday.

The anti-graft agency’s Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren also confirmed the development through a statement on Thursday.

Justice Othman Musa, who had earlier on December 20, 2019, granted the commission’s request to detain the ex-AGF for initial 14 days pending investigations, renewed the detention order following a fresh ex parte application by the EFCC on Thursday.

The first 14 days lapsed on Thursday.

Uwujaren stated that following a fresh application by the commission, the judge on Thursday granted permission to the anti-corruption agency to further keep the suspect in custody for additional 14 days preparatory for his arraignment on charges relating to the Malabu Oil scam.

The statement quoted the judge as saying that “the extension of the remand of the respondent for another 14 days for the purpose of his arraignment in court is necessary and granted as prayed.”

Adoke, who is being investigated over his role in the $1.1bn Malabu oil scam, left the country shortly after his tenure ended in 2015.

In his absence, he was charged alongside others with various offences in connection with the scam.

He returned to the country ending his over four years of self-exile on December 19, 2019.

He was immediately arrested on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja by operatives of the International Police Organisation and handed over to the EFCC.