1. The attention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, CFR has been drawn to Reports making the rounds in the social media including Sahara Reporters, Point-blank News, I-Reports etc, to the effect that he maintains accounts with First City Monument Bank, Diamond Bank and Zenith Bank Plc into which lodgements running into several Millions of Naira, Dollars and Pound Sterling have been made.
2. While these spurious allegations/reports would ordinarily have been ignored, the tendency for Nigerians to believe such blatant lies and malicious stories has necessitated this response so as to put the records straight and re-assure all well meaning Nigerians especially the Attorney General’s friends, close associates and relatives who are worried and greatly saddened since these allegations began circulating in the social media.
3. We wish to categorically state that while the Attorney General maintains accounts with Diamond Bank and First City Monument Bank, the balances in those accounts are certainly nowhere near the outrageous figures quoted in the publication. It is instructive to note that Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, has been a Legal Practitioner for 26 years and was in recognition of his achievements elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2006. As an investment lawyer, he made careful investments which yielded good returns. At the time he was invited to serve as Attorney General of the Federation, he was by the grace of God, a successful legal practitioner, by every standard.
4. It is also instructive to note that the Attorney General of the Federation declared his assets including all his accounts on assumption office as Attorney General of the Federation. Mr. Adoke further directed that no money should be paid into all his accounts except the salary account he maintains with Intercontinental Bank Plc. Consequently, the authentic balances in the accounts maintained by Mr. Adoke only reflect his earnings as a legal practitioner/investor before he took public office. We therefore advice anyone interested in knowing the net worth of the Attorney General to check his asset declaration with the Code of Conduct Bureau.
5. It should also be appreciated that no allegation of wrongdoing has been made against the person of the Attorney General of the Federation. It is therefore clear that the objective of the publication was to damage his reputation and expose him to public odium. The Attorney General has therefore lodged a formal complaint to the Inspector General of Police and has called on the Inspector General of Police to cause a painstaking investigation to be carried out on the allegations made in the publication and the Report made public.
6. This is necessary to prove to Nigerians that the Attorney General has nothing to hide and can account for his earnings and wealth. Mr. Adoke has maintained a consistent lifestyle in the last 15 years and will by the grace of God continue to maintain his cherished values of honesty, probity and accountability in public office.
7. Finally, we make bold to state that if the motive of the publication was to discourage and distract the Attorney General of the Federation in the discharge of his duties and commitment to the development of this country, such endeavour has clearly failed.
Ambrose Momoh
Chief Press Secretary to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice
