![Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. [PHOTO CREDIT: @SanMalami]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/01/72108874_2504015716495401_3950648387879043072_n-e1756902354245.jpg?fit=766%2C479&ssl=1)
Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami has spent the second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja as investigators continue questioning him over alleged financial irregularities linked to his time in office, a source within the agency confirmed on Wednesday.
The EFCC source, who requested not to be named to discuss an internal operation of the commission, said Mr Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was detained following his invitation for interrogation over transactions connected with the recovery of parts of the Abacha loot.
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Mr Malami, who served as the AGF throughout the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, announced publicly late last month that he was being probed over alleged fraudulent duplication of expenses for the recovery of loot linked to former Nigeria’s military dictator, the late Sani Abacha.
The Cable also reported Tuesday, citing a disclosure from an associate of Mr Malami, that the EFCC is also investigating the former minister over 46 bank accounts allegedly linked to him. Another report by The Nation indicated he is being probed over his multi-billion-naira investment in Kebbi State, his home state.
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“He has been in detention since Monday, and the investigation is ongoing,” the source said, confirming The Cable’s earlier report on Mr Malami’s detention.
It was Mr Malami’s second appearance at EFCC’s office for interrogation in less than two weeks, having honoured the commission’s initial invitation on 28 November.
In the first instance of his invitation, the EFCC granted him administrative bail and released on the same day after a bout of questioning by interrogators.
Malami denies wrongdoing
He subsequently denied any wrongdoing regarding the allegations levelled against him.
“My response is clear and unequivocal: these allegations are baseless, illogical, and wholly devoid of substance,” he stated in a Facebook post after hours-long interrogation by the EFCC.
Mr Malami explained that any suggestion of duplication of the Abacha loot recovery collapses when examined against the timeline of engagements with lawyers for fund recovery.
During his tenure, Mr Malami oversaw recoveries that included $322.5 million from Switzerland, which he said was deployed to the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme under the National Social Investment Programme, monitored by the World Bank and civil society groups. Another $321 million was recovered from Jersey in 2020 for infrastructure projects, including major roads and bridges.
He also mentioned his role in strengthening Nigeria’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) framework, including the passage of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to Mr Malami, these reforms contributed to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “grey list.”
The EFCC’s initial invitation letter, dated 24 November and signed on behalf of the commission’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede, cited Section 38(1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2024.
The commission did not specify the exact allegations in the letter, but Mr Malami confirmed he was asked to provide information regarding the recovered funds.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, when contacted by our reporter through phone on Wednesday morning, declined to speak on the matter.
PREMIUM TIMES’ attempts to reach Mr Malami by phone for his comment Wednesday morning were also unsuccessful, as his number failed to connect.
READ ALSO: Ex-AGF Malami opens up on EFCC’s allegations after facing questioning, denies wrongdoing
Mr Malami, who recently declared his intention to run for governor of Kebbi State on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), affirmed his willingness to cooperate with investigators and urged responsible reporting on national security and financial matters.
Amid the ongoing EFCC investigation, a Sahara Reporters’ publication also put Mr Malami under the spotlight by linking him to terrorism financing. Mr Malami vehemently denied the allegation, but it cannot be ascertained yet if the claims are part of EFCC’s focus in its ongoing probe.
