NIGERIA: Malami Accuses EFCC Chairman Of Vendetta, Demands Recusal From Investigation

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

Nigerian former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has accused the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of orchestrating a politically motivated investigation against him, driven by personal vendetta and historical animosity.

In a strongly worded press release issued by his office on Monday, Malami described the ongoing detention, investigation, and threatened prosecution as a “witch-hunt” triggered by his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Malami alleged that the current EFCC Chairman, who served as Secretary to the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry established during his tenure as Attorney-General, faces serious findings of corruption and abuse of office in the commission’s report, particularly in chapter 9, which recommended possible prosecution. He argued that the present actions against him bear the hallmarks of retaliatory persecution.

The former minister stated that he has been clearly pre-judged by the EFCC under its current leadership and cannot receive a fair, objective, or lawful investigation or trial.

He formally demanded that the EFCC Chairman immediately recuse himself from any further involvement in the matter and that the case be transferred to another appropriate government enforcement agency to restore credibility, legality, and public confidence.

Malami also called on the current Attorney-General of the Federation, as the chief law officer of the country, to prevail on the EFCC Chairman to step aside and prevent the abuse of prosecutorial powers for partisan or personal ends.

He reiterated his insistence on immediate judicial oversight, demanding that a charge be filed and that he be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction within 24 hours, in compliance with Sections 35(3), (4), and (5) of the 1999 Constitution.

Malami further accused the EFCC of attempting to rely on witnesses who have been convicted by foreign courts and remain subject to criminal sentences abroad, describing this as a desperate and scandalous strategy that undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

For the avoidance of doubt, his office confirmed that all necessary legal procedures have been initiated, including demands for certified true copies of the petitions allegedly forming the basis of the investigation, one dated September 11, 2023, from Human and Environmental Agenda, and another from Grassroot Advocacy for Peace and Good Governance, as well as certified true copies of the EFCC’s investigation report.

Malami emphasized that he seeks no political settlement, no inducement, and no alliance of convenience, but is determined to clear his name openly, transparently, and decisively before a court of competent jurisdiction.

He warned that Nigeria must not degenerate into a country where anti-corruption agencies are converted into tools of political intimidation or where justice is replaced by vendetta.

The law, he concluded, must remain supreme above politics, power, and persons.

As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not issued any official response to Malami’s allegations or demands.