EFCC Drops Goje’s Case 24hrs After Withdrawing From Senate Presidency Race

Senator Danjuma Goje

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday withdrew from the case of alleged N25 billion fraud filed against the former Gombe State Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje.

Concise News gathered that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the case from EFCC who had been prosecuting the former governor for almost eight years.

The case, which is before Justice Babatunde Quadiri of Jos Federal High Court II, has even gone to the Jos Court of Appeal over the remaining two counts out of the 21 charges filed against him by EFCC.

The Appellate Court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the appeal.

When the case came up for an emergency hearing before Justice Quadiri, the EFCC Counsel, Wahab Shittu, told Court that the agency was withdrawing from the case and handing it over the office of the Attorney-General for continuation.

Responding, Paul Erokoro (SAN), did not object to the EFCC withdrawal and handing over of the case to the Attorney-General.

Pius Asika, Counsel from the office of the Attorney General announced his appearance for the case.

Asika then applied for an adjournment to enable him to prepare for the case proper “having come into the matter today (Friday)”.

Justice Quadiri then adjourned to the case to June 21, 2019 for continuation of hearing.

This is coming a day the former governor of Gombe state withdrew from the race to become President of the incoming ninth Senate in Nigeria and endorsed Senator Ahmed Lawan for the position.

This happened after the two lawmakers from Nigeria’s northeast sub-region met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed doors on Thursday.