The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), has called on the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke SAN, to stop engaging in blackmail of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and answer to the charges against him.
The Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran who spoke on behalf of the Center said that the former AGF should stop beating around the bush but should face squarely the allegations before him.
Adoke who has been enmeshed with his involvement in $1.1bn Malabu Scam, was last week charged alongside Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited, Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, ENI SPA and three Italians for corruptly handing over $801,000,000 to Adoke; a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dan Etete; Chairman of AA Oil, Aliyu Abubakar; and Etete’s company, Malabu Oil and Gas.
Adeniran noted that, Adoke, in relation to the $801,000,000 which was reported to have been a part payment for OPL 245, and hold reserves of about 9.23 billion barrels of oil, has up till now refused to answer to the charges but instead blames the EFCC to have been used as a weapon for killing him by his so-called enemies.
“We do not need media answers from the SAN; he should go to the court and say whatever he needs to say rather than resorting to maligning the EFCC. The Commission was established for the sole aim of eradicating or bringing corruption to the minimal level in the country. If an individual is cut in the web of the EFCC, and his hands are clean, then he should prove his innocence in court, and not by appealing for the sympathy of Nigerians which in fact insults their intelligence.
“Adoke is trying to use his knowledge of the law to evade justice, but that would never happen this time around as he has continually maneuvered his way back 1999, but this time, it is sure a final fight. If he his claiming that he bought a property in Abuja through a mortgage loan, then he should show fact and clearly convince the Court that he is truly innocent rather than explaining through the media; this method of his is totally mischievou”, he said.
