The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed that it lacks sufficient evidence to support its charges of fraud, bribery, and conspiracy against the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke.
This revelation was made in response to a no-case submission filed by Adoke, who is the first defendant in the charges related to the OPL 245 transaction of 2011.
In its statement to the FCT High Court, the EFCC informed that it would not oppose Adoke’s no-case application.

Furthermore, the anti-graft agency indicated that it would not contest similar applications by the other defendants, including Aliyu Abubakar, Rasky Gbinigie (Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd company secretary), Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Ltd, Shell Ultra Deep Nigeria Ltd, and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo), on some of the charges.
However, the EFCC clarified that Gbinigie still has a case to answer regarding the alleged forgery of company documents to remove the name of Mohammed Abacha as a director of Malabu Oil & Gas.
The EFCC had initially accused Adoke of receiving a gratification of N300 million from Abubakar concerning the OPL 245 resolution. Adoke, however, refuted these allegations, asserting that the said amount was a mortgage he obtained from Unity Bank Plc in 2012, which was then transferred directly to Abubakar’s account.
Adoke claimed that the money was later refunded by Abubakar in 2013 when he couldn’t fulfill his equity contribution.
Adoke has consistently denied all the accusations leveled against him, maintaining his innocence in the face of the EFCC’s charges.
The development raises questions about the basis of the EFCC’s initial allegations and underscores the complexities surrounding the OPL 245 transaction.
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