Ozekhome counters EFCC, says his client, Adoke returned to Nigeria ‘voluntarily’

Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the lawyer to the former Attorney –General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, said on Thursday that his client returned to the country “voluntarily.”

The EFCC had said the ex-AGF left Dubai following “pressure” from them.

The commission had tweeted that “Adoke Returns to Nigeria to Face Corruption Charges.

“Former Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has arrived Nigeria from Dubai.

“The ex-AGF left Dubai following pressure from EFCC”.

But Ozekhome countered this in a statement in Abuja and attached supposed pictorial evidence of a flight ticket he said was “self-purchased” by the embattled former minister.

The statement read: “We are Solicitors to Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice (“our client”). We issue this statement on his clear instructions and mandate.

“On the morning of Tuesday, 11th of November, 2019, our client arrived Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for a scheduled medical check-up.

“While he was undergoing immigration checks, he was informed that Interpol had a Warrant to arrest him. He was shocked to his bones and marrow.

READ ALSO: NJC approves appointment of 6 heads of court, 26 others

“This is because although a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had issued a Warrant of Arrest against our client on the 17th of April, 2019, following an exparte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the same court had duly vacated the said arrest warrant Order on the 25th of October, 2019, following our challenge of the exparte order, and after robust court argument between EFCC (government) counsel and my humble self.

“There was, therefore, no existing arrest warrant on which the Interpol’s arrest was made. This was well reported by the media.

“Our client duly showed Interpol officials copies of the certified Court Order by Hon. Justice Danlami Z. Senchi.

“He also showed them the 17th of April, 2018, judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by the Hon. Justice Binta Nyako, to the effect that our client could not be held liable for obeying lawful presidential directives on the OPL 245 transaction.

“The Interpol officials, however, said only the Warrant of Arrest was communicated to them by the Federal Government, and not any of these overriding court processes. The vacation and setting aside of the warrant of arrest order made by Honourable Justice D. Z. Senchi was curiously not communicated to the Interpol or the UAE authorities.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now