Nigeria files graft charges against ex-minister over oil scandal

News24
22 Jan 2020, 13:11 GMT+10

Nigeria's anti-graft agency on Tuesday filed corruption charges against a former justice minister over a $1.3bn dollar oil scandal involving international majors Shell and Eni.

Mohammed Adoke was arrested last month on arrival from the United Arab Emirates where he had been detained on a Nigerian warrant in connection with one of the West African state's biggest-ever corruption scandals.

"We have filed multiple corruption charges in Abuja against Mr. Mohammed Adoke in respect of the Malabu oil deal. The former minister will appear in court soon," Tony Oriade, spokesman for Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, told AFP.

Oriade said Adoke, a former attorney general, was accused of money laundering and collecting a bribe worth 300m naira to broker the sale of lucrative offshore oil block OPL245 to Shell and Eni.

Both oil companies deny any wrongdoing in the case dubbed the "Malabu scandal" after the key company involved in the deals.

Adoke was alleged to have collected the bribe from a businessman, Abubakar Aliyu, who has also been charged with him.

Eni and Shell are accused of handing out bribes during the 2011 purchase of OPL245, an offshore oil block, for $1.3bn.

READ | Ex-Nigeria minister held in Dubai over oil graft scandal: lawyer

Former oil minister Dan Etete is still on the run over the scandal.

It was during his time in office in 1998 that Malabu was illegally awarded control of the block.

Accusations against the international oil majors have led to a string of cases in a number of countries that have seen convictions in Italy and a probe against Shell in the Netherlands.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Zimbabwe Star.

More Information

null in null

International

Section

Israeli forces accused of deadly cruelty against Gazan hospital patients

HRW says Israel committed war crimes while occupying Gazan hospitals

NEW YORK, New York – Israeli military forces caused deaths and unnecessary suffering of Palestinian patients while occupying hospitals...

EU to cut steel import quotas by 15% to counter US tariff fallout

EU proposes cutting steel imports by 15 percent as Trump tariffs bite

BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union is set to tighten steel import quotas starting in April, reducing inflows by 15 percent to prevent...

US threatens to cut transit funds over NYC subway safety issues

US threatens to withhold transit funds over New York subway crime

WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) could...

US seeks global support to block China’s access to American chips

Commerce chief seeks industry help to stop China from getting US chips

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Trump administration is asking companies and foreign governments to help...

Many dead after Israeli air strike on Gazan funeral

Israel Air Force pilots bomb funeral in Gaza, 15 dead

Israel Air Force pilots have bombed a funeral in northern Gaza, killing more than a dozen mourners. Family and friends of Dr Wasim...

Delta Jet's wing strikes runway during rough landing at LaGuardia

Delta plane wing hits runway while landing at NYC's LaGuardia

NEW YORK CITY, New York: A Delta Air Lines plane's wing hit the runway at LaGuardia Airport during a rough landing over the weekend....

Africa

Section