Malabu agreement endorsed by at least 3 immediate past presidents adoke insists
A very specific and interesting topic!
The Malabu Oil Deal is a controversial oil block allocation in Nigeria, and the statement you're referring to is likely from a 2013 interview with Nigeria's former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.
In the interview, Adoke insisted that the Malabu Oil and Gas Limited agreement was endorsed by at least three immediate past presidents of Nigeria, namely:
- General Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993)
- General Sani Abacha (1993-1998)
- President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007)
Adoke claimed that these presidents had all given their approval for the agreement, which was signed in 1998, during the Abacha administration. The agreement granted Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, a company linked to former Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete, the right to explore and produce oil in the OPL 245 block, which is believed to contain significant oil reserves.
However, the deal has been widely criticized for its alleged corruption and lack of transparency. In 2013, the Nigerian government revoked the license, citing irregularities in the agreement. The case has since been the subject of several investigations and lawsuits, including a high-profile trial in Italy.
It's worth noting that Adoke's claim about the endorsement of the agreement by three past presidents has been disputed by some, and the exact circumstances surrounding the agreement remain unclear.