Civil society groups working on anti-corruption in the country, yesterday, called for the investigation and prosecution of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Bello Adoke, SAN, for allegedly shielding some individuals and groups from prosecution over grafts for personal benefit.

The groups in a statement in Lagos, noted that the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, had in 2010  raised alarm over attempts by the Federal Government to sweep the Halliburton scam under the carpet, saying “a year after the clarion call, it is distressful to see Bello Adoke SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister following the line of his predecessor-in-office Chief Michael Aondoakaa,  who was unwilling to prosecute public officials involved and was shown the way out in circumstances that are dishonorable and disgraceful.

“It is clear that Bello Adoke SAN, has demonstrated a total lack of commitment to the anti-corruption war and has aligned himself with the conspiracy to continue the cover-up. It appears as if Mr. Adoke SAN, has suddenly become one of the richest sitting Ministers of Justice in the contemporary world today, with a level of wealth comparable only to those of the oil czars. We do not know the mystery behind his vast riches but we know that since coming into office,” the groups said.

The groups which issued the statement are Zero-Corruption Coalition,  Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre,  West African Civil Society Forum,   Centre for Democracy and Development, Women in Nigeria, Publish What You Pay, Transparency in Nigeria,  Centre for Information Technology and Development, Centre for the Development of Civil Society and National Procurement Watch Platform.

Further they said, “AGF Bello Adoke SAN has flagrantly violated sections 15(5) and 174 (3) of the 1999 Constitution when he set out to withdraw several cases on economic crimes against the public interest.

We note in particular the case of the Vaswani Brothers whom EFCC was bent on prosecuting for multi-billion naira tax evasion and forgery; his morbid deal with former Governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Muazu to stop his prosecution; withdrawal of charges and return of recovered stolen funds to former National Electricity Regulatory Commissioners; assurances of safe landing for Dele Oye and Akingbola’s return from criminally self-imposed exile; the trial of Chief Kenny Martins handled by Festus Keyamo, for embezzling Police Equipment Funds was profanely halted by the AGF; so also was the trial of Julius Berger, Siemens Plc., Saipem, Technip and Halliburton Inc.;  the attempt to stop the criminal trial of the Anosikes (Daily Times N3billion scam), was resisted by a brave Trial Judge who actually overruled the AGF when he applied for a withdrawal of the charges on the ground that it was not in the public interest to do so.

“Within his ten months of being in office, the AGF has an all-time record of over 25 cases withdrawn by him against corrupt persons with a high political profile. When EFCC published an advisory list of corrupt politicians, AGF Adoke in his characteristic unpatriotic posture, issued EFCC a stern warning notice not to embarrass the Federal Government.

“On February 14, 2011 AGF Adoke appeared before the Senate Committee on Judiciary to defend the Ministry’s budget, and he insulted the nation when he said that only $21million was given as bribe to Nigerian government officials in the Halliburton scam and that the $170.8million disgorged and paid by the Halliburton crime suspects as levies under a plea bargain arrangement will not be part of government revenue. The question is into whose pocket is he putting the money,” they queried.