Tag: Abubakar Malami

Abubakar Malami (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has accused security agencies of actions said to be aimed at frustrating his constitutional right to fair hearing and effective legal defence.

In a statement issued on Saturday morning by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami’s office expressed concern over what it described as a pattern of conduct by state agencies following charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the statement, although the Federal High Court granted Malami bail, the EFCC allegedly delayed the submission of his international passports to the court for about one week, despite the passports being a key condition for the perfection of bail.

The statement further alleged that immediately after Malami perfected his bail and was released from the Kuje Custodial Centre, he was rearrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to his aides, Malami was detained for five days without access to his lawyers or family members and was only allowed to meet his legal team on Friday after what they described as prolonged isolation.

The office described the detention as a violation of his fundamental human rights.

Malami’s camp said the detention occurred at a critical stage when he was required to prepare his defence in an EFCC interim forfeiture proceeding before the Federal High Court.

It argued that denying him access to legal counsel during this period impaired his ability to consult with his lawyers, prepare court filings and give instructions.

“This amounted to a clear frustration of due process,” the statement said.

The statement alleged that the sequence of events suggested a pattern where arrest precedes investigation, with evidence sought after detention.

It claimed that such an approach violated the rule of law and constitutionally guaranteed rights, accusing the DSS of adopting similar practices.

Malami’s office stressed that bail granted by a court must be respected, warning that no agency should undermine judicial orders through what it described as coordinated delays, rearrests or denial of access to legal representation.

“Mr. Malami remains ready to defend himself fully in court and in accordance with the law, and calls on all state institutions to respect court orders, constitutional guarantees, and the rule of law,” the statement added.

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, along with his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, will remain in Kuje Prison until January 7, when their bail applications are set to be decided.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Friday after taking arguments for and against the bail applications filed by Malami and his son, who are on trial over a N9 billion money laundering charge brought against them by the Federal Government.

Malami, his son and one Hajia Bashir Asabe, a staff of Ramadiya Property Limited, are to stay in the prison till January 7 when ruling in the bail applications would be delivered by the judge

Justice Emeka Nwite announced that he had several other matters to rule upon as a vacation judge, hence, will not be able to deliver the ruling until the date.

Joseph Daudu, SAN, argued the bail applications for the three defendants while Emmanuel Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, opposed the motion on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Malami and his co-defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on behalf of the Federal Government.

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, will on Monday, December 2, begin a bail battle over the N9 billion corruption charges filed against them by the federal government.

Malami, his son and one Hajia Bashir Asabe, a staff of Ramadiya Property Limited currently in Kuje prison on remand, are expected to be brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja to resume the battle for bail from prison custody.

Justice Emeka Nwite had on Tuesday fixed today to hear their bail argument after their arraignment on 16-count money laundering offences.

Malami and his co-defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges as preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the federal government.

At the Tuesday’s proceedings, Counsel to the three defendants, Joseph Daudu, SAN had argued oral bail application saying that having read the 16-counts charge and the law on the subject matter, it is a proper application to make orally adding that, the, “only condition where one needed a written application is where it is a capital offence.”

“The offences of money laundering are bailable offences. The charges are not complicated, they are bailable and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court”, he said and urged the court to admit them to bail.

EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho SAN had vehemently opposed the oral application for the bail of the defendants, saying that Section 162 of Administration of Criminal Just Act ACJA listed factors to consider before exercising discretion on bail application.

“Those factors can only come into the court through affidavit evidence and to determine whether to grant bail or not, both the prosecution and the defense would be given the opportunity to state their facts and these facts belong to the witnesses,” he said.

Justice Nwite had in a ruling rejected the oral bail application and ordered both parties to appear before him today to argue written bail application.

The EFCC had arraigned the former AGF and the two others before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a 16-count money laundering charge.

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, his son Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and another individual have pleaded not guilty to a 16-count money laundering charge.

The defendants were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, facing allegations of unlawful acquisition and concealment of funds.

The trial is set to continue as the court considers the charges.

More details soon…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, that his bail was revoked due to his attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi State.

The EFCC, in a rebuttal by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale on Saturday, insisted the matter has nothing to do with politics but everything to do with unmet bail conditions.

According to the anti-graft agency, Malami’s continued detention was neither politically motivated nor linked to his media appearances or political activities, but stemmed solely from his failure to meet the five conditions attached to the provisional administrative bail earlier granted to him.

The Commission described the claim as misleading narratives gaining traction in the public space.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, though not disposed to joining issues with respect to its operations in the media, is compelled to respond to the patently false claims of a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, about a purported revocation of his bail over attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi,” Oyewale stated.

He pointed out that administrative bail is not an entitlement but a discretionary and temporary relief granted to suspects pending the conclusion of investigations and possible arraignment in court.

The EFCC added that Malami was offered provisional administrative bail after a brief interrogation on 28 November 2025, subject to five specific conditions, none of which he has met.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has once again taken Nigeria’s former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), into custody, just days after his initial questioning by the anti-graft agency.

Sources confirmed to SaharaReporters that Malami was arrested late Monday night and was reportedly struggling to meet the stringent bail conditions set by the EFCC that same night.

Investigations revealed that Malami was actively searching for two serving permanent secretaries to stand as sureties, a critical requirement to fulfill the bail conditions for his release.

“EFCC arrested Abubakar Malami again; he was looking for two Permanent Secretaries for bail conditions on Monday night,” a source privy to the probe disclosed.

This marks Malami’s second detention in quick succession. He had initially honored an EFCC invitation on Friday, November 28, to clarify certain issues and was granted bail but was almost forced to spend the night in custody due to the conditions.

Malami later confirmed his release from the first detention, stating on his official X handle,“The engagement was successful and I am eventually released while on an appointment for further engagement as the truth relating to the fabricated allegations against me continue to unfold.”

The re-arrest comes amid Malami’s strong public dismissal of the core allegations leveled against him by the EFCC, which center on the recovery process of the $310 million (later $322.5 million with interest) Sani Abacha loot.

Malami dismissed the EFCC’s claims that he “duplicated” a recovery process allegedly completed by Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini before Malami assumed office in 2015.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, Malami described the EFCC’s claims as “baseless, illogical, and devoid of substance.”

Monfrini himself applied in December 2016 to be re-engaged for the same recovery, which Malami argued contradicts the notion that the process was already concluded.

Malami insisted he saved the Nigerian state between 15% (76.8 billion at an average ₦1,600/ rate) and 35% ($179.2 billion) of the recovered sum by rejecting Monfrini’s demand for a 20-40% success fee and a $5 million upfront deposit, opting instead for a local law firm on a transparent 5% success fee basis.

Malami concluded that “any claim or investigation suggesting abuse of office or money laundering in relation to the $322.5million is not rooted in any reasonable ground for suspicion.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face interrogation daily throughout the month of December at its headquarters in Abuja.

A credible source within the EFCC revealed to Vanguard on Monday that the daily appearance is a mandatory condition of his release and part of an intensive, ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged $490 million Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.

​Malami, who honored an EFCC invitation on Saturday, November 28, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next month, as the anti-graft agency confiscated his international passport.

The EFCC source stated: ​“We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.

”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”

​The source explained that the daily reporting is necessary due to the volume and complexity of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against the former Minister.

Investigators are primarily concerned with accountability for the massive repatriated funds. A fact sheet on the former minister indicates that he has multiple issues to clarify.

The source said: “We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.

“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”

The commission cited the large volume of documents Malami must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport and demanding daily appearances.

The EFCC maintained that it would not engage in a “war of words” but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.

Malami, in a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, in Abuja, confirmed his engagement with the EFCC but described the investigation as a “political witch-hunt.”

He confirmed he honored the EFCC invitation on November 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.

Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical, and devoid of substance, insisting they would collapse under factual scrutiny.