Fresh trouble may be looming for former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as a group of Nigerian legislative lawyers has petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to investigate and prosecute him over the controversial removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The group, Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), in a petition dated February 3, 2026, accused Malami of abusing his office during his tenure under the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justice Onnoghen was removed from office in the build-up to the 2019 general election, following proceedings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over alleged asset declaration breaches. He was subsequently convicted, but the Court of Appeal reversed the conviction in November 2024.
In the petition signed by their lawyer, S.O. Abang, and addressed to the Chairman of the CCB, ALDRAP alleged that Malami acted “unlawfully and maliciously” in orchestrating the removal of Onnoghen.
The group also accused the former AGF of the malicious prosecution of Justice Nnamdi Dimigba of the Federal High Court.
“Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, abused the powers conferred on him by his office as the former AGF and Minister of Justice,” the petition stated.
ALDRAP alleged that Malami misused his constitutional powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the AGF discretion to institute, take over, or discontinue criminal proceedings.
“He did not exercise this power for the benefit of overriding public interest but rather for his own personal financial and political benefits,” the petition claimed.
The lawyers further alleged that Malami personally ordered the CCB to discontinue certain prosecutions while allegedly fast-tracking others for political reasons.
“Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, personally ordered the Code of Conduct Bureau to stop the prosecution… even after the Bureau had established a prima facie case,” the petition alleged.
The petition also raised issues concerning alleged gifts received by Malami, including over 200 vehicles, both personally and through his NGO, Khadimiyya for Justice and Development Initiatives.
“A concrete evidence of how he violated Sections 5, 10 and 11 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1991, is how he openly admitted that he received gifts of over 200 cars,” the petition read.
The group further alleged that Malami approved the appointment of Alhaji Abubakar Usman Gotomo, Chairman of the NGO, as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in 2019, in violation of constitutional provisions.
Additionally, the petition referenced Malami’s reported 2022 admission that he received funds and vehicles from associates to support his Kebbi State governorship ambition, describing the act as inconsistent with the Code of Conduct law.
“He Assaulted The Constitution” — Petitioners
“The foregoing acts of Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, can be classified as acts of abuse of office and misconduct because he assaulted the Constitution of Nigeria and deployed and hijacked the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal to further his own personal, financial and political objectives,” the petition stated.
The group urged the CCB to commence investigation and prosecution without delay.
“It is for the foregoing reasons that Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, ought to be investigated and prosecuted by your office,” the petitioners told the Bureau.
Naijaonpoint understands that Malami is currently facing separate charges filed by the Nigerian government over allegations bordering on money laundering and terrorism financing.