The Federal Government has started plans to extradite former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke over the Malabu oil scam.

Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the agency prosecuting Adoke, Mr Johnson Ojogbane, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja.

Adoke and some multinational oil companies had been charged to court by the EFCC for alleged $1.1bn Malabu Oil scam.

Ojogbane said the court could not continue with the case on Tuesday because the EFCC had been unable to get Adoke and other defendants.

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“The matter was adjourned until today for arraignment of the defendants, but up till now, we have not been able to secure the attendance of most of the defendants, because they are outside jurisdiction, that is they are outside the country.

“The Federal Government is doing everything within its powers to bring them back to Nigeria so that they can face their trial.

“The government will take steps, in collaboration with the international police to locate them and bring them back to Nigeria through extradition, which is a very cumbersome process, but it will be done,” Ojogbane said.

He said the court adjourned the matter until Oct. 26 in order to bring Adoke back to the country.

The former minister has been accused of transferring more than $800m purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Dan Etete, Malabu Oil.