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The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, granted permission to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to further detain the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), for another 14 days.
The commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday.
Justice Othman Musa, who had on December 20, 2019, granted the commission’s request to detain the former minister for initial 14 days pending investigations, renewed the detention order following a fresh ex parte application by the EFCC on Thursday.
The first 14 days lapsed on Thursday.
Uwujaren stated that following a fresh application by the commission, the judge on granted permission to the anti-graft agency to further keep Adoke in custody for additional 14 days preparatory for his arraignment on charges relating to the Malabu Oil scam.
The statement quoted the judge as saying that “the extension of the remand of the respondent for another 14 days for the purpose of his arraignment in court is necessary and granted as prayed.”
Adoke, who is being investigated over his role in the $1.1bn Malabu oil scam, left the country shortly after his tenure ended in 2015.
In his absence, he was charged alongside others with various offences in connection with the scam.
He returned to the country ending his over four-year self-exile on December 19, 2019.
He was immediately arrested on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja by operatives of the International Police Organisation(INTERPOL) and handed over to the EFCC.