The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started preparing charges against a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, over claims that he misused government money.It was found out that Malami had been held by the EFCC since Monday, but the commission had already given him bail.
However, he hasn’t been released yet because they are still checking some of the papers he submitted.Earlier, the Daily Trust had reported that the EFCC had called Malami last week about some financial activities related to recovering part of the Abacha loot. He was let go after several hours. Malami said he didn’t know anything about the issue and denied any wrongdoing.
A person inside the EFCC told our reporter on Wednesday night that Malami would soon be taken to court. “They gave him administrative bail, but he’s still with us because he hasn’t fully met the conditions for bail. The documents he provided are still being reviewed. Once that is done, he will be released.“Second, he will be taken to court as soon as our investigation is done. We are already compiling charges against him. We are not out to get him. This isn’t about persecution. We are just doing our job,” the source said.
Several calls to the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, didn’t get through. He had not responded to a text message sent before this report was filed.Terrorism financing link?In a statement, the former attorney-general said that as someone who was in charge of upholding the law, he could never be involved in breaking the law.He mentioned that during his time as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, he worked on improving efforts to fight terrorism financing.
“He has come to my attention a recent article that connected my name with claims about terrorism financing and so-called ‘links’ to people who are described as suspected terrorists or alleged financiers.“I think it is important, for the sake of truth, justice, and the public record, to make the following clarifications.
“First, I clearly and definitely say that I have never been accused, invited, questioned, investigated, or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory, or intelligence agency—inside or outside Nigeria—regarding terrorism financing or any related crime,” he said.He added,
“Secondly, the retired military officer mentioned as the main source in that article clearly stated that he was not accusing me or the other named people of funding terrorism. “His own statement, as reported, only said that certain suspects were said to have some kind of ‘business’ or ‘institutional’ connection with various people. “That important point was, unfortunately, not given enough attention by the headline and the way the story was presented. This could mislead people who mean well into making wrong and harmful conclusions. It was unfortunately used by my political opponents to make false suggestions that I was involved in terrorism financing.
“Terrorism financing is a serious crime with very bad effects on national security and human life. Any attempt—whether through direct accusations or indirect hints—to connect someone with such a crime should be based on real facts, proper procedures, and legal findings. It should not come from guesses, assumptions, or linking people based on who they know.
“To say that legal business or official relationships can, without more, be seen as evidence of terrorism financing is both unfair and wrong.”