A High Court sitting in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja has issued an arrest warrant against a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dauzia Loya (Dan) Etete and two others.
Justice Abubakar Kutigi issued the arrest warrant on Thursday in a ruling on an ex-parte motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Also to be arrested are Munamuna Seidougha and Amaran Joseph.
Justice Kutigi said: “I have carefully gone through the application…The application has merit and is granted as prayed.”
The EFCC said the three are being wanted in relation to a pending charge linking them with the $1.09billion Malabu Oil Block (OPL 245) Settlement Agreement.
Earlier while moving the motion, EFCC’s lawyer, Bala Sanga, told the court that the exparte application was filed on January 28 and supported by an 8-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Ibrahim Ahmed and attached with one exhibit.
Sanga explained that The crux of the ex-parte application was that names of the respondents in the criminal charge CR/151/2020 were mentioned in count 14-42 of the charge and were indicated to be at large.
He added that in order for the respondents to be brought before the court to enter their pleas, we will be requesting for an order of warrant for their arrest.
“Intelligence suggests they reside in France and occasionally at some African countries and to be able to get the support of the international police, the warrant of arrest would be needed,” Sanga said.