The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted administrative bail to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), after hours of interrogation at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. Malami, who served as Nigeria’s chief law officer under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2023, had honoured an invitation by the anti-graft body to answer questions over issues linked to his time in office.
In a personally signed statement issued after his release, Malami confirmed that he had appeared before EFCC investigators and was allowed to go home pending further sessions. He said, “In line with my undertaking to keep Nigerians updated on my invitation by the EFCC, I give glory to Allah for His divine intervention. 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.” He did not disclose the exact nature of the allegations but suggested they were politically motivated and “fabricated”.
The former minister stressed that he chose to honour the summons as a “law‑abiding and patriotic citizen” and reiterated his belief in transparency and accountability in public service. Earlier, he had informed family, friends and the public that he had been invited to “provide clarification on certain matters” and that he would cooperate fully with investigators. The EFCC, for its part, has yet to make public the full details of the investigation, only indicating in its correspondence that it needed information from Malami in connection with an ongoing case.
Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and influential member of the previous administration, left the EFCC premises in the evening and departed in his personal vehicle after completing the day’s questioning. With bail now granted and another appointment scheduled, the probe into his tenure as Attorney General appears set to continue, keeping public attention fixed on how the anti‑corruption agency handles allegations involving one of the country’s most powerful former officials.
