A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has demanded the immediate recusal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from his ongoing investigation, alleging bias, personal vendetta and political persecution linked to his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress.
In a strongly worded press statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Muhammad Doka, Malami accused the EFCC of what he described as “illegal detention, media harassment and procedural abuse,” insisting that the probe against him was not driven by law enforcement considerations but by “deep-seated historical animosity” on the part of the commission’s leadership.
“I have been clearly pre-judged and cannot receive a fair, objective or lawful investigation under the current leadership of the EFCC,” Malami said.
The former justice minister hinged his claims on events dating back to his tenure as AGF, when the Federal Government constituted the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of office within the EFCC.
Malami noted that the current EFCC chairman served as Secretary to the commission and that the Salami Report, now in the public domain, contained adverse findings against him.
“The present investigation bears all the hallmarks of retaliatory persecution motivated by personal vengeance,” he alleged.
On this basis, Malami formally called on the EFCC chairman to step aside from the matter and urged the Attorney-General of the Federation, as the nation’s Chief Law Officer, to intervene.
“To restore credibility and public confidence, another appropriate law enforcement agency must handle this matter,” he said, warning that failure to act could cause “serious institutional damage.”
Malami also demanded either his immediate arraignment or release within 24 hours, citing Sections 35(3), (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Only a court of competent jurisdiction—not a politically compromised agency, can lawfully and credibly adjudicate this matter,” he insisted.
Raising further concerns, the former AGF accused the EFCC of attempting to rely on individuals convicted by foreign courts and currently serving criminal sentences abroad as potential witnesses.
He described such a move as “desperate, scandalous and corrosive to the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system,” arguing that such persons should ordinarily be subjects of extradition rather than prosecution witnesses.
According to the statement, Malami’s legal team has initiated formal steps to safeguard his rights, including requests for Certified True Copies of the petitions said to have triggered the investigation and the EFCC’s investigation report to enable him to prepare his defence.
Malami said, “Let it be stated clearly: I seek no political settlement or inducement.
“My singular objective is to clear my name openly and transparently before a court of competent jurisdiction. Nigeria must not become a republic where anti-corruption agencies are tools of political intimidation. The law must remain supreme—above politics, above power and above persons.”
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had yet to respond to Malami’s allegations.