Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has revealed the details of the corruption allegations over which he was recently invited and grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He denied duplicating the fees for the recovery $310 million Abacha loot, insisting he committed no wrongdoing, contrary to EFCC’s allegations.
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In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, the former minister confirmed that he honoured an EFCC invitation on 28 November regarding enquiries related to the recovered funds, which amounted to approximately $322.5 million upon repatriation.
In the statement Mr Malami shared on social media, the former AGF said the EFCC informed him that the investigation centred on alleged abuse of office and money laundering, allegations he firmly rejected.
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“My response is clear and unequivocal: these allegations are baseless, illogical and wholly devoid of substance,” he stated.
According to Mr Malami, the EFCC’s enquiry suggested that Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini had completed the recovery before he assumed office in 2015 and that any subsequent action he took amounted to duplication or an attempt to introduce lawyers who would allegedly provide kickbacks.
The former minister who recently declared interest in running for governor of Kebbi State on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), argued that the claim “collapses immediately when subjected to facts and elementary logic,” asserting that no part of the funds had been lodged into the Federation Account as of 2016, when the President Muhammadu Buhari administration began the recovery push.
“There was therefore no completed recovery in existence, and nothing whatsoever to duplicate,” the statement read.
The former AGF, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who dumped the party for the ADC earlier in the year, added that several lawyers, including Mr Monfrini, applied in December 2016 to be engaged for the same recovery.
“It is entirely illogical for a lawyer to apply in December 2016 to be engaged to recover funds he purportedly recovered two years earlier,” his statement said.
He also disclosed that Mr Monfrini demanded a $5 million advance payment and a 40 per cent success fee, later reduced to 20 per cent, which the Buhari administration rejected in line with its policy against upfront payments and its 5 per cent cap on recovery fees.
Mr Malami said Nigerian law firm was later engaged for an all-inclusive 5 per cent fee, a decision he said saved Nigeria between 15 and 35 per cent of the recovered assets — amounting to between N76.8 billion and N179.2 billion at an average exchange rate of N1,600 per dollar.
“Accordingly, any claim or investigation suggesting abuse of office or money laundering in relation to the $322.5 million is not rooted in any reasonable ground for suspicion,” he said.
He listed the various tranches of Abacha loot recovered during his tenure. The $322.5 million repatriated from Switzerland in 2017–2018 was deployed to the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme under the National Social Investment Programme, he said, with monitoring by the World Bank and civil society groups.
Another $321 million recovered from Jersey in 2020, with support from the United States and Switzerland, was earmarked for major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Abuja–Kano Road and the Second Niger Bridge.
“Any attempt to conflate these distinct recoveries or to portray a lawful, cost-saving recovery process as duplication is misleading,” he said.
Mr Malami described the allegations against him as baseless.
“In conclusion, the allegations of money laundering and abuse of office concerning the $322.5 million Abacha loot remain baseless, illogical and entirely devoid of substance. I remain confident that truth, law and reason will ultimately prevail,” he added.
Background
The EFCC on Friday granted administrative bail to Mr Malami after hours of questioning at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
He confirmed his release in a Facebook post early Saturday, saying he would continue to cooperate with investigators.
“In line with my undertaking to keep Nigerians updated on my invitation by EFCC, I give glory to Allah for his divine intervention,” he wrote.
“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.”
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the anti-graft agency had invited the former minister for questioning.
EFCC’s invitation
EFCC summoned Mr Malami in a letter dated 24 November and signed by Sunday Ofen-Imu on behalf of the commission’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
“The Commission is investigating a case which the need to obtain certain information from you becomes in imperative,” the letter stated.
He was asked to report to the EFCC headquarters in the Institution and Research District, Jabi, Abuja, to meet investigators from the Special Duty Committee-3.
“This request is made pursuant to Section 38(1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2024. Your cooperation in this regard is highly solicited,” the letter added.
The EFCC did not state the specific allegations for which he was invited.
In separate public messages on Friday, Mr Malami confirmed receiving the invitation and pledged full cooperation.
“I am informing my family and friends that EFCC has invited me to clarify on some issues, and as a citizen of law and order and patriot, I am willing to honour this invitation without any hesitation,” he wrote.
READ ALSO: EFCC grants bail to former AGF Abubakar Malami after interrogation
He said honesty, integrity and accountability had guided his years in public service.
EFCC yet to respond
EFCC has yet to issue any public statement on the case, even though Mr Malami has provided updates in a series of statements posted on social media.
Also, a message sent to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Saturday to confirm Mr Malami’s release had not been replied to as of the time of filing this report.
Mr Malami served as Attorney-General of the Federation under the former President Buhari administration.
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