Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has demanded that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman recuse himself from an ongoing investigation and threatened prosecution, describing the probe as a politically motivated “witch-hunt.”
In a press release on Monday, Malami alleged that the investigation and his detention are driven by personal animosity linked to his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He claimed the EFCC Chairman holds a longstanding grudge connected to the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which examined corruption allegations within the EFCC during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General.
“The present investigation—marked by illegal detentions, media harassment, and procedural abuses—bears all the hallmarks of retaliatory persecution motivated by personal vengeance,” Malami said, insisting that the EFCC under its current leadership cannot conduct a fair or impartial probe into his activities.
Malami formally requested that the EFCC Chairman step aside and that the investigation be transferred to another government agency to guarantee impartiality, credibility, and public confidence. He also called on the current Attorney-General of the Federation to intervene, warning that continued involvement by the EFCC Chairman risks further institutional damage and abuse of prosecutorial powers.
Emphasizing judicial oversight, Malami demanded immediate arraignment before a competent court, citing Sections 35(3), (4), and (5) of the Nigerian Constitution, and stressed that only a court—not a politically compromised agency—can lawfully adjudicate the matter.
He further accused the EFCC of planning to rely on questionable witnesses, including individuals convicted abroad, to strengthen its case, describing the approach as “desperate, scandalous, and corrosive to the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.”
Malami’s office has formally requested certified copies of the petitions and investigation reports underlying the EFCC’s actions, referencing complaints filed by Human and Environmental Agenda and Grassroot Advocacy for Peace and Good Governance.
He concluded by stressing his commitment to clearing his name through lawful judicial processes and warned against the politicization of anti-corruption agencies. “The law must remain supreme—above politics, above power, and above persons,” he said.
The statement was signed by Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media to Abubakar Malami, SAN.
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