TheCable

Mohammed Adoke, a former attorney-general of the federation, has filed a human rights complaint against the federal government at the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

He also named the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the complaint, accusing the agency “of unmitigated acts of persecution, intimidation, harassment, threat of deprivation right to life, unlawful interference with right to family life and livelihood”.

Femi Oboro, his solicitor, said the complaint became necessary in view of the constant harassment, intimidation and persecution that Adoke has endured in the hands of the federal government.

Oboro said since his client left office as attorney-general of federation, he has been the subject of sustained and malicious media attack from the EFCC.

He reiterated that the EFCC “is bent on persecuting and humiliating him in order to satisfy the whims and caprices of some powerful families and political associates of the present administration”.

“I have today 20th July 2017 filed a complaint on behalf of my client Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, federal republic of Nigeria, against the federal government of Nigeria and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),” it read.

“However, since leaving office, he has been the subject of sustained and malicious media attack from the EFCC and its cohorts with the aim of bringing him to public odium.

“These efforts have culminated in the filing of phantom criminal charges against him, destruction and unwarranted searches on his residences as well as that of his siblings, persecution, threat to his life, unlawful harassment and intimidation.

“The complaint will afford the UNHRC the opportunity to appraise Nigeria’s criminal justice system, the operational modalities of law enforcement agencies such as the EFCC, the constitutional mandate of the office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, on whether such agencies and persons are conducting their operations in accordance with human right standards and norms applicable to civilised democratic societies and/or they can be allowed to ride rough shod over the rights and liberties of citizens under the guise of fighting corruption.

“We expect the UNHRC to expeditiously consider the complaint and make its ruling and recommendations public in order to end my clients persecution and once more provide an enabling environment for Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN to enjoy his family, return to the practice of his profession and assume his roles as the bread winner for his immediate and extended family.”

Adoke is accused of money laundering and misleading the federal government in the OPL 245 deal involving Malabu Oil, Shell and ENI, but he has denied the allegations.