EFCC Releases Adoke, Co-defendant

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released Mohammed Bello Adoke, the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation, from its custody.
Adoke was released alongside Aliyu Abubakar, his co-defendant, after Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High  Court, Abuja, granted the duo bail on Monday and ordered the EFCC to respect the bail conditions.
The ex-AGF has been in the custody of the EFCC after he was arrested upon his return from a self-exile, on December 19, 2019.
Adoke was initially arraigned on 42 counts of alleged fraud over the OPL 245 deal at a FCT High Court in Gwagawlada alongside Abubakar, Rasky Gbinigie, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Agip, a subsidiary of Eni, Shell Nigeria Ultra-deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited.
The ex-AGF and Abubakar were, however, granted bail by Justice Othman Musa to the tune of N50 million and one surety each, who must be a Nigerian citizen with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
But the EFCC had refused to release the duo after they fulfilled the terms of the bail granted by Justice Musa on January 30.
However, the anti-graft agency had re-arraigned the former minister of justice on a seven-count charge of alleged money laundering.
Ruling on the bail application by the accused, Justice Nyako said although the two cases were different, the courts are of the same jurisdiction and would, therefore, rely on the bail conditions granted by Justice Musa.
She ordered the EFCC to respect the order of the court.
Adoke departed the court premises with the car of Mike Ozekhome, his counsel, on Monday.
Asked if the EFCC had obeyed the court order, Ozekhome said: “They (Adoke and Aliyu) are now freed, they have gone home,” the Punch reports.