Former President Goodluck Jonathan has accused the administration of his successor, Muhammadu Buhari, of subjecting several key officers in his government to harassment over the controversial OPL-245 case, widely known as the Malabu Oil deal scandal.

The OPL-245 controversy centres on the acquisition of Oil Prospecting Licence 245 — a lucrative oil block in Nigeria — by oil giants Shell and Eni in 2011 for $1.3 billion. Allegations later emerged that $1.1 billion of the payment was routed through intermediaries as bribes to Nigerian officials and politicians.

Speaking through former Senate President Pius Anyim at the public presentation of a memoir titled “OPL 245: Inside Story of the $1.3bn Nigerian Oil Block” authored by former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, Jonathan said the Buhari government launched what many perceived as a political witch-hunt against some of his former aides.

“Shortly after my tenure ended in 2015, the succeeding government launched what many saw as a manhunt against key officers of my administration,” Jonathan stated. “The author of this memoir, Mr. Bello Adoke, was the Attorney-General of the Federation at that time. He was hunted across the globe over the OPL-245 matter.
“But today, he is alive, he is healthy, and he is here to tell his story. Let me, therefore, use this occasion to congratulate Mr. Bello Adoke, my friend and brother, for his doggedness, and to say that I am pleased to join you in celebrating this victory. I urge all of us to remain conscious of the fact that power belongs to God.”

Jonathan emphasised the importance of justice, fairness, and integrity in public service, warning that any society that fails to uphold these values cannot enjoy peace or progress.

“I must state, as always, that it is widely acknowledged among all civilisations that any society or organisation that does not promote justice and fairness will neither have peace nor make progress,” he said.

He urged public officeholders to remain committed to truth, justice, and fairness in the discharge of their duties.

The Malabu scandal traces back to 1998 when OPL-245 was originally awarded to Malabu Oil and Gas by the Sani Abacha administration.

The block became the subject of multiple global investigations, criminal prosecutions, and civil lawsuits following Malabu’s sale of its entire stake to Shell and Eni in 2011.