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

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.

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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.

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.