Ex-AGF Adoke alleges fraud in anti-corruption campaigns over OPL 245 saga
Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has accused some anti-corruption campaigners of exploiting the controversial OPL 245 oil block litigation for personal gain and financial enrichment.
In his newly released book “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3bn Nigerian Oil Block,” published by The Conrad Press Ltd in the UK, Adoke described the anti-corruption sector in Nigeria as a haven for blackmailers and character assassins. He alleged that certain individuals, under the guise of activism, had monetised the case, including organizing paid protests to support indicted officials.
Taking specific aim at Global Witness, a UK-based NGO central to the international campaign against the oil deal, Adoke accused its co-founder, Patrick Alley, of “arrogant ignorance.” He dismissed Alley’s claims of misconduct and asserted that his actions as Attorney-General were within constitutional bounds.
Adoke claimed that the prolonged legal saga—spanning Nigeria, Italy, the UK, and the US—ultimately ended in his favour, with courts at home and abroad clearing him of all allegations. He noted that even the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not appeal the judgments acquitting him.
Highlighting further the financial and reputational costs of the case, Adoke said Nigeria lost a defamation suit filed by JP Morgan in a UK court, resulting in a £22.25 million damages award to the bank. He lamented that national resources were wasted on what he described as a “wild goose chase.”
He accused unnamed activists of lobbying the EFCC to pursue an appeal after his acquittal, saying they hired senior lawyers in vain. He described their efforts as a desperate attempt to sustain a narrative that had already crumbled in court.
Adoke concluded that the OPL 245 saga became an “oil block” for corrupt lawyers and activists, rather than a genuine pursuit of justice. The book is now available in Nigeria through Roving Heights bookstores.
