Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has accused the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, of orchestrating a politically motivated witch-hunt against him and has urged the anti-graft boss to step aside from the ongoing investigation.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami said his detention, investigation and what he described as a “threatened prosecution” were not driven by genuine law enforcement concerns but by political considerations, following his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He alleged that the EFCC’s actions were rooted in “historical animosity” and a “personal vendetta,” rather than an objective pursuit of justice.
Malami claimed that while he served as attorney-general, the federal government constituted the Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of office within the EFCC. He said Olukoyede served as secretary to the commission and that the report, particularly Chapter Nine, allegedly contains serious findings implicating the EFCC chairman.
According to the former AGF, the circumstances surrounding the investigation suggest that he has already been prejudged and cannot receive a fair, impartial or lawful probe under Olukoyede’s leadership. He therefore called for the investigation to be transferred to another appropriate law enforcement agency to restore credibility and public confidence.
Malami also appealed to the current Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to intervene and prevail on the EFCC chairman to recuse himself in order to prevent further institutional damage to the anti-corruption agency.
He demanded either his immediate prosecution or release, insisting that he must be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction within 24 hours, in line with Sections 35(3), (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The former minister further accused the EFCC of attempting to rely on individuals convicted by foreign courts and currently serving prison sentences abroad as witnesses against him, describing the alleged move as “desperate, scandalous and corrosive to the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.”
Malami said his legal team had requested certified true copies of petitions forming the basis of the investigation, including one allegedly submitted by Human and Environmental Agenda on September 11, 2023, and another by Grassroot Advocacy for Peace and Good Governance. He added that his lawyers also demanded certified true copies of the EFCC’s investigation report to enable him prepare his defence.
Emphasising that he was not seeking any political settlement or inducement, Malami said his sole objective was to clear his name before a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Nigeria must not degenerate into a republic where anti-corruption agencies are converted into tools of political intimidation,” he said.
“The law must remain supreme—above politics, above power, and above persons.”
