London, April 18, 2019 (AltAfrica)-Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has reportedly made contact with the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol to facilitate the arrest of Nigeria’s immediate-past Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dan Etete, and four others.

A reliable source within the agency told Alternativeafrica.com that the contact was made before Wednesday judgement. “I can confirm that the agency has made contact with the Interpol. We did that in anticipation of the court judgement on Wednesday. It was also raised with Interpol high command on Tuesday when they visited. But with the judgement, things can move at a faster speed because we have the authority”-The source said

Confirming the development, acting spokesman for the anti-corruption agency, Tony Orilade, said the EFCC would collaborate with the Interpol to execute the arrest warrant issued against them

Orilade disclosed that the Commission would rely on the Interpol to apprehend the two men who were believed to be outside the country.

He said, “We are working with Interpol, we are collaborating with them to arrest the men. Remember the Interpol Secretary-General, Jurgen Stock, visited us yesterday (on Tuesday) and they have promised to work with us. We are also ready to work with them. We are relying on Interpol to get them (Etete and Adoke) for us.”

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jabi, Abuja had on Wednesday, ordered the arrest of Mohammed Adoke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dan Etete, and four others.

The six are named in the charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in relation to the $2.1bn Malabu Oil scam.

Others affected by the court’s arrest warrant issued on Wednesday are: Raph Wezels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, Burrato Sebastino and Aliyu Abubakar.

Justice Danladi Senchi issued the arrest warrant against the suspects following an ex parte application by the EFCC.

Moving the application on Wednesday, the commission through its lawyer, Mr Aliyu Yusuf, informed the judge that it needed the arrest warrant to enable it to apprehend the suspects and bring them before the court for arraignment on the charges instituted against them since 2016.

Yusuf noted that apart from the charges pending in court, there were other two sets pending against them before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the EFCC, the charges bordered on fraudulent allocation of the Oil Prospecting Licence 245 and money laundering involving the sum of about $1.2bn, forgery of bank documents, bribery and corruption.

The alleged $1.2bn scam involved the transfer of the OPL 245 purportedly from Malabu Oil and Gas Limited to Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Co. Limited and Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited.

The three companies are defendants in the charges pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

An operative of the EFCC, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, stated in an affidavit filed along with the anti-graft agency’s ex parte application had stated that the issuance of an arrest warrant against the defendants would enable them to liaise with International Police Organisation to ensure their arrest.

The affidavit stated, “That arraignment of the defendants in this case couldn’t take place because the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th defendants/respondents are at large and have refused to make themselves available.

“That all efforts to apprehend the fleeing defendants/respondents proved abortive.

“That in furtherance of efforts to apprehend the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th defendants/respondents , the EFCC contacted the Nigeria Police to assist in watch-listing them and facilitating their arrest.

“That the Nigeria Police in response requested detailed particulars and necessary process to enable them to liaise with INTERPOL, and other relevant sister organisations have insisted that in addition to having a pending charge before a competent court, there must be warrant of arrest to enable the organisations to apprehend the defendants.

“That granting this application will facilitate the required liaison with INTERPOL and ensure that the defendants/respondents are apprehended and produced before the court for their arraignment on the charges filed against them