Court nullifies warrant for arrest of ex-AGF Adoke, ex-minister Etete, others

A Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over by Justice Danlami Senchi has set aside a bench warrant issued for the arrest of a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.

A former minister of petroleum, Dan Etete, and four others also had similar warrants of arrest, issued for their arrests set aside.

The warrants had been issued by the court on April 17, over the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu Oilfield deal, popularly known as ‘OPL 245’.

But in an application by his counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Adoke asked the court to set aside the order, which he contended that the court was misled in issuing.

He further prayed the court to strike out his name in the suit the Federal Government filed against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited and 10 others.

Adoke’s counsel had also argued that the order for the former AGF’s arrest was issued in breach of his right to fair hearing as guaranteed by the constitution.

He had said that Adoke was neither served with the charge sheet and proof of evidence nor any other summons in respect of the criminal charge pending before the court.

He summarily posited that the warrant for Adoke’s arrest was issued without jurisdiction and ought to be set aside.

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Ruling on the matter on Friday, Justice Danlami Senchi, agreed with the applicant’s counsel, Ozekhome that the order was issued without jurisdiction.

Senchi also agreed that the defendants had not been served with the information charge when the order was made.

The court meanwhile refused to strike out the names of the 4th to 9th defendants from the charge, ignoring all prayers made to that effect.

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