Adoke Cries Out as over 10 Policemen Invade Okene Home

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), has cried out over seeming intimidation and harassment as a detachment of policemen invaded his residence in search of cash and undisclosed documents.

Adoke, in a statement obtained by THISDAY yesterday, said over 10 policemen from the Force Headquarters in Abuja who were “armed to teeth”, laid siege to the house in Okene for about one hour without finding anything.
He said although they displayed a warrant from a High Court of Justice in Gudu District Abuja, the policemen refused to disclose their exact mission.

He however, claimed that the security agents ransacked the duplex, from about 4.15 pm to 5.15pm, including Adoke’s bedroom, his wife’s bedroom, the roof and the toilets.

A junior brother of the ex-Minister, Mr. Abdul Adoke also said: “The policemen presented a search warrant obtained from the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu in Abuja. Their leader identified himself as a police officer from the Force Headquarters, Abuja but he refused to disclose his identity.

“We cooperated with them and at the end of the day, nothing was found. They wrote a report declaring that the duplex was free of any incriminating documents. I and four others also signed the report too.”

Adoke has been facing trial for alleged involvement in a $1billion Malabu Oil Block deal against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He however said although the charge was irrational, he was prepared to make himself available to defend it at the appropriate time.

He said he did not benefit in any way from the auctioning of the Oil Prospecting Licence 245 (OPL 245) popularly referred to as Malabu Oil Block.

Adoke said he got requisite approvals from the former President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to broker the settlement and execute the OPL 245 Settlement Agreement.