Former President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken out in defense of former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, stating that the ex-minister was the target of an “international manhunt” due to his role in the controversial OPL 245 oil block deal — one of the most scrutinized transactions in Nigeria’s recent history.
Jonathan made the remarks during a public policy dialogue in Abuja, where he addressed lingering questions surrounding the multibillion-dollar offshore oil license awarded to Shell and Eni during his administration.
“Adoke was globally hunted not because he committed a crime, but because he took decisions based on the law and in the national interest,” Jonathan said. “The OPL 245 matter became a tool for political and international manipulation.”
The former president maintained that Adoke acted within the legal framework to resolve a protracted ownership dispute involving Malabu Oil & Gas, the federal government, and multinational oil firms. He insisted that the settlement brokered under his watch was meant to end years of litigation and unlock investment in Nigeria’s oil sector.
The OPL 245 deal — which involved the transfer of a lucrative oil block to Shell and Eni for $1.3 billion — has been the subject of multiple corruption investigations across Nigeria, Italy, the UK, and the U.S., with Adoke accused of facilitating fraudulent payments. He has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing the allegations as politically motivated.
International courts, including a Milan tribunal, have since acquitted Shell and Eni of criminal liability, and Nigerian courts have dismissed some charges against Adoke in recent rulings, citing lack of evidence.
Jonathan’s comments come amid renewed debate over the legacy of the deal and its impact on Nigeria’s global reputation. Critics argue that while legal rulings may have cleared some individuals, the opacity surrounding the transaction damaged trust in Nigeria’s resource governance.
Adoke, who has published a memoir defending his actions, has called for institutional reforms to protect public officers from politically driven prosecutions.
