Despite Malami’s Move, EFCC Gets Presidential Backing In Extraditing Adoke

The move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to
extradite former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, Mohammed Adoke, from the United Arab Emirates where he is
being held by the Interpol has received the backing of the
Presidency in Nigeria, According to Sahara
reporters.^[1]

SaharaReporters exclusively learnt that while the incumbent
Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made
attempts to get President Muhammadu Buhari to block Adoke’s
extradition, the President gave the EFCC the nod to go ahead with
the extradition plans.

SaharaReporters had reported that top officials in the office of
the AGF were blocking Adoke’s extradition to the country.

While the EFCC had sent Adoke’s charges to the Interpol in
Dubai, the commission might have to engage in a confrontation with
the AGF when he is extradited to the country.

Sources familiar with the case informed SaharaReporters that the
EFCC boycotted Malami because of his past dealings and affiliation
with Adoke.

“Adoke and Malami have something going on between them.

“The EFCC is not working with the AGF because they got
Presidential support to go on with the extradition so that he can
come and face charges at home.

“They did this at a time when the office of the AGF wrote to the
President to order the EFCC to stop the trial of Adoke.

“The AGF was pushing for Adoke to be released by the Interpol in
Dubai so that he can escape from there and not come to Nigeria.

“But because of the deal that the Interpol signed with Nigeria
and considering the fact that Adoke was listed as wanted on their
list, he was not released.”

It was gathered that the same lawyer representing Adoke
represented Malami when he refused to appear before the Senate,
indicating a working relationship between the two.

Like in this particular case, Malami had used his office to
protect Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the now defunct
Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, from prosecution for
many years before his eventual arrest and ongoing trial.

There are strong indications that Adoke might not be released
anytime soon as he is still in the custody of the Interpol.

The EFCC had transmitted the charges to Interpol electronically,
while it awaits due procedure to be followed and completed before
the former AGF can be extradited back to Nigeria.

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