BEVERLY HILLS, May 29, (THEWILL) – A former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), has declared that his involvement in the $1.09billion Malabu Oil Block deal was without any personal gain to himself or to any other person.
Adoke, in an affidavit in support of his originating summons in a matter he filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said he has a copy of a presidential approval directing that Malabu be paid the sum of $ 1,092,040,000 from the Escrow Account with J.P. Morgan.
The ex-minister revealed that he facilitated amicable settlement of dispute between two parties because of its implications on the nation’s economy insisting that the Terms of Settlement, upon which the Consent Judgment was predicated, were executed as far back as November 30, 2006 saying his intervention in the dispute was motivated by the need to avoid a colossal cost to the Federal Government as awarded by the courts.
Adoke, in the suit, asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to declare his ongoing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on account of carrying out the lawful directives of the former President as illegal, null and void.
THEWILL recalls that the federal government had seized Malabu Oil Block from four oil firms – Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO), Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited – pending the conclusion of investigation and trial of those implicated in the deal.
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