Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has spent a second consecutive night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the agency intensifies its investigation into alleged financial misconduct during his tenure.
A senior EFCC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed on Wednesday that the former minister has remained in detention since Monday after being invited for questioning over transactions linked to the recovery of funds looted by former military ruler, Sani Abacha. This marks Malami’s second visit to the EFCC within two weeks, having earlier honoured an invitation on 28 November, after which he was granted administrative bail.
Reports indicate that the ongoing probe spans several allegations, including suspected irregularities in the handling of Abacha loot recovery expenses, as well as scrutiny of 46 bank accounts allegedly associated with the former AGF. Another report suggests investigators are also examining his reported multi-billion-naira investments in his home state of Kebbi.
Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who served throughout President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year administration, has firmly denied any wrongdoing. In a Facebook post following a previous interrogation, he dismissed the allegations as “baseless, illogical, and wholly devoid of substance,” insisting that all processes relating to recovered funds followed proper timelines and procedures.
During his time as AGF, Malami oversaw notable recoveries, including $322.5 million repatriated from Switzerland—funds he said were channelled into the Conditional Cash Transfer programme—and another $321 million returned from Jersey in 2020 for major infrastructure projects. He also highlighted his contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing reforms, which he said helped remove the country from the FATF grey list.
According to EFCC’s invitation letter dated 24 November and signed on behalf of the commission’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Malami was required to provide details relating to the recovered assets. However, the agency has not publicly disclosed the exact allegations under investigation. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale declined to comment when contacted.
Efforts by PREMIUM TIMES to reach Malami on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Malami—who recently declared his intention to contest the governorship of Kebbi State under the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—has reiterated his willingness to cooperate fully with investigators. This comes amid additional allegations published by Sahara Reporters linking him to terrorism financing, a claim he strongly refuted. It remains unclear whether this forms part of the EFCC’s current probe.
