A former AGF has raised alarm over alleged plan by the the nation’s formost anti-graft agency to indict him in a fraud by planting incriminating cash and documents in his Kogi house.
Ex-Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN)
The immediate past Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is planning to raid his country home in Okenne, Kogi State, with the purpose of planting huge sums of money in order to indict him.
Adoke, who also served as the Minister of Justice under former President Goodluck Jonathan, said this in a statement by his media aide, Victor Akhidenor.
The EFCC had on Tuesday raided Adoke’s home in Kano as part of investigations into the $1.3bn Malabu scam.
Adoke said having found nothing in his Kano home, the EFCC had become desperate to nail him at all cost.
The statement read in part, “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 him.
“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. The world is watching.”
The former minister, who has been charged for alleged fraud albeit in absentia, said the EFCC had no evidence against him and that was why operatives were still searching for evidence over four months after charging him. The statement added, “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 — the EFCC has no shred of evidence on which they had charged Mr. Adoke to court. It was after charging him that they started hunting around for evidence. Is this justice?”
Adoke maintained that the $1.3bn Malabu deal was transparent, adding that it was done with the approval of former President Jonathan.
The former minister, who has been in Holland since 2015, said if the EFCC continued to harass members of his family and search his properties, he would be forced to sue the commission for harassment.
He said he would also put the United Nations and other international human rights agencies on notice.
The statement concluded, “However, for whatever reasons, the EFCC appears to have a different opinion on the Malabu issue and has made the harassment of Mr. Adoke, his family and associates their pastime, 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.”
