A former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke has been arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, by Interpol following confusion over a warrant of arrest that has already been vacated, TheCable reports.
A federal capital territory high court in Abuja had issued a warrant of arrest against Adoke and four others on April 17, 2019, following a request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the controversial OPL 245 deal executed by the Federal Government in 2011.
However, ’following an application by Adoke’s lawyers, the court, presided over by D. Z. Senchi, vacated the warrant on October 25, 2019, declaring it “null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
TheCable understands that while the first order was sent to Interpol by the Nigerian police, the vacating order was not transmitted.
The senior lawyer, who was said to have arrived Dubai on Monday, November 11, for a scheduled medical check-up, was quizzed by the Interpol and then taken into custody following the mix-up.
A source who is in the know of the development said the police are asking for a certified copy of the vacating order before they can release him and allow him to proceed for his medicals.
TheCable could not immediately establish from where he flew into Dubai, with different sources saying China and Rwanda.
Adoke has been on self-exile since 2015, accusing the EFCC of trying to humiliate him and maintaining that he did no wrong in the OPL 245 affair.