Abubakar Malami, SAN, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to either arraign him before a competent court or release him within 24 hours, citing constitutional protections against unlawful detention.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Muhammad Doka, Malami also requested the immediate recusal of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede from the ongoing investigation into his affairs.
He alleges bias, personal vendetta, and political persecution related to his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress.
Malami accused the anti-graft agency of subjecting him to “illegal detention, media harassment, and procedural abuse,” asserting that the investigation is driven not by legal principles but rather by a “deep-seated historical animosity” towards him from the EFCC leadership.
“I have been clearly pre-judged and cannot receive a fair, objective, or lawful investigation under the current leadership of the EFCC,” Malami stated.
He pointed to events during his tenure as Attorney-General, particularly the establishment of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which investigated allegations of corruption within the EFCC. He noted that Olukoyede served as Secretary to this commission, whose report contained adverse findings against him.
Malami characterized the current investigation as one marked by “retaliatory persecution motivated by personal vengeance.”
Consequently, he formally urged Olukoyede to step aside from the matter and appealed to the Attorney-General of the Federation, as the country’s Chief Law Officer, to intervene.
“To restore credibility and public trust, this matter must be handled by a different, appropriate law enforcement agency,” he warned, adding that failure to do so could result in significant “institutional damage.”
Emphasizing his demands, Malami insisted on adherence to Sections 35(3), (4), and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which safeguard against unlawful detention. He reiterated his demand for either immediate arraignment or release within 24 hours.
“Only a court of competent jurisdiction — not a politically compromised agency — can lawfully and credibly adjudicate this matter,” he maintained.
Further raising concerns, Malami accused the EFCC of seeking to rely on individuals convicted by foreign courts and serving sentences abroad as potential witnesses.
He described these efforts as “desperate, scandalous, and corrosive to the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system,” arguing that such individuals should ordinarily be subjects of extradition, not prosecution witnesses.
The statement also noted that Malami’s legal team has begun formal steps to protect his rights, including requests for Certified True Copies of the petitions that allegedly prompted the investigation and the EFCC’s investigation report to prepare his defense.
“Let it be stated clearly: I seek no political settlement or inducement,” Malami said. “My singular objective is to clear my name openly and transparently before a court of competent jurisdiction. Nigeria must not become a republic where anti-corruption agencies are tools of political intimidation. The law must remain supreme — above politics, above power, and above individuals.”
On Saturday, The Legal Observer reported that the EFCC claimed it detained Malami, SAN, for failing to satisfy the conditions of his administrative bail.
The EFCC denied allegations of political persecution, describing them as patently false and misleading.
In their statement, the anti-graft agency asserted that it was compelled to respond to Malami’s claim that his bail was revoked due to his attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi State, emphasizing that the Commission operates apolitically and strictly in accordance with the law.
The EFCC revealed that Malami was scheduled to return for further interrogation on December 1, 2025, but on December 4, he informed the Commission of his ill health and requested permission to attend to medical issues.
The agency granted his request on compassionate grounds, despite noting that his bail conditions remained unfulfilled.
However, the Commission pointed out that Malami did not submit a medical report or provide credible proof of ill health to justify the repeated delays.
