By Shola Abayomi.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has withdrawn from the alleged N25 billion fraud filed against former Gombe State Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje, just 24 hours after the Senator withdrew from the race for the Senate Presidency.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has taken over the case forthwith, bringing to an end the eight-year-long prosecution of the former governor by the anti-graft agency.
The N25 billion fraud case being handled by Justice Babatunde Quadiri of Jos Federal High Court II, came up for an emergency hearing when the EFCC counsel, Wahab Shittu, told the court that the agency was withdrawing from the case and handing it over to the office of the attorney-general for continuation.
Shittu told the court, “My Lord, this case was earlier adjourned for June 20 for the continuation of hearing, but then we are here today on the latest development on the matter.
“We as EFCC counsels are withdrawing from the matter and handing it over to the office of the Attorney-General for continuation with the prosecution.
“As you can see in court today, is a state counsel from the AGF’s office to formally take over this case from us”, he said.
Counsel to Danjuma Goje, Paul Erokoro, did not object to the EFCC withdrawal and handing over of the case to the attorney-general.
Erokoro said, “My Lord, we do not object to the anti-graft agency’s withdrawal and handing over the prosecution to the AG’s office.”