Security operatives believed to be men of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission have carried out a raid at the house of the brother of a former Attorney-
General of the Federation.
The immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), says
operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission raided the home of his younger brother, Bashir, in Kogi State during the wee hours of Sunday.
According to reports, the raid was carried out as part of investigations into the $1.3bn
oil deal involving Malabu Oil and Gas Limited and oil giant, Shell, which was brokered by Adoke in 2011 when he was the AGF.
Adoke said this in a statement by his spokesman, Victor Akhidenor. The former AGF, however, stated that nothing was found during the raid which he described
as illegal.
The senior advocate said the operatives of the anti-graft agency assaulted some
occupants of the house when they did not find any dollars in the building.
The statement read in part, “The men who arrived Mr. Bello’s house at about 12 midnight in a Hilux van were dressed in black uniform. They did not present any
search warrant and when the security man sought to know their mission, they stated that they were in search of money particularly dollars that have been hidden by Mohammed Bello Adoke.
“When the security insisted that the house was not occupied and that no such monies were kept there; they not only brutalized
him, but proceeded to hack down the door, tore the place apart and searched virtually every nook and cranny of the house, destroying the furniture, the ceiling, wardrobes, water tank, etc.
“At the end, they left the premises infuriated that they did not find the dollars they were
informed was hidden in the house.”
Operatives of the EFCC had last month raided the Kano home of Adoke but were said not
to have recovered any money.
Adoke, who has been in the Netherlands since 2015, said members of his family were being
harassed by the EFCC.
He added, “This will be the second time that security personnel would be invading Mr. Adoke’s home. Last month, officials of the
EFCC invaded Mr. Adoke’s family home in Kano in search of documents ostensibly to
use to prosecute him.
“There appears to be no end to the level harassment, intimidation, and persecution
that Adoke and his family will face at the hands of law enforcement personnel determined to unearth incriminating evidence against him.
“Adoke is apprehensive about his personal safety as well as that of his immediate family and calls on law enforcement personnel to
guarantee the safety of his family especially now that he has become a target and subject of harassment, intimidation, and
persecution from powerful families and aggrieved individual bent on settling scores
with him on account of his refusal to allow his office as a minister in the government of the federation to be used to serve their personal interests.”
All attempts to speak with the EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on Sunday proved abortive as his phone indicated that it was switched off.
