JUST IN: Adoke, Ex-AGF, To Spend New Year In Detention

The Federal Capital Territory HIgh Court, Abuja, has granted an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to detain Mr. Mohammed Adoke, a former attorney-general of the federation, for 14 days.

The Court granted the ‘ex parte’ request of the EFCC Friday.

An ex parte application is that sought in the absence of the other party, in this case in the absence of Adoke’s counsel.

Justice O.A. Musa approved that the EFCC detain Adoke for 14 days pending his investigation and trial.

Adoke returned to Nigeria on Thursday after he was detained for over one month by authorities in Dubai.

Before his detention, Adoke, who was Justice Minister in the immediate past Goodluck Jonathan administration, was on self imposed exile abroad for four years during which he could not be served court papers by the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency is prosecuting Adoke for his alleged roles in the Malabu OPL 245 scandal.

Adoke has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

As attorney-general, Adoke mediated controversial agreements that ceded OPL 245 to Shell and Eni who in turn paid about $1.1 billion to accounts controlled by an ex-convict and former petroleum minister, Dan Etete.

Shell, Eni, and their officials are being prosecuted for the scandal in Italy.

The EFCC on Thursday confirmed it had Adoke in its custody.