Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, says his engagement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following the commission’s invitation was “successful”, adding that he has been released and scheduled for further interaction with investigators.
In a post on his X handle early Saturday, Malami said the “truth” behind what he described as “fabricated allegations” against him would continue to emerge as the investigation progresses.
“In line with my undertaking to keep Nigerians updated on my invitation by EFCC, I give glory to Allah for His divine intervention. The engagement was successful and I am eventually released, while on an appointment for further engagement, as the truth relating to the fabricated allegations against me continues to unfold,” he wrote.
The EFCC had invited the former minister for questioning over alleged corruption during his tenure in office. Malami had earlier stated that he would honour the invitation in the interest of transparency and accountability, noting that doing so aligned with the values he championed during his years in public service.
“I am informing my family and friends that EFCC has invited me to clarify some issues, and as a citizen of law and order and a patriot, I am willing to honour this invitation without any hesitation,” he said in an earlier post.
“I believe in the importance of honesty, integrity and accountability in leadership. These are principles I’ve long supported and upheld over the years I’ve spent in public service.”
Sources within the EFCC confirmed that Malami was grilled on Friday over multiple allegations, including issues relating to bank accounts, assets, and the payment of judgment debts. A senior official, who spoke to The Nation, said details of his interaction with investigators would be made public from Monday.
“We have many allegations lined up against him. We have not accused him of anything at all. Our investigation is on. He interacted with our operatives on Friday. We were courteous to him. We respected the confidentiality of his appearance. But he has chosen to go public. We will have no choice but to explain to Nigerians what he came to do and our findings,” the official said.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale told The Nation that he had no details yet as he was out of Abuja.
Malami, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation from 2015 to 2023, has faced persistent scrutiny over several high-profile transactions handled during his tenure. These include the controversial $496 million payment to Global Steel Holdings Ltd for the terminated Ajaokuta Steel concession, the sale of forfeited assets valued in billions of naira, the disputed $419 million Paris Club consultancy debt, the agreement to pay Sunrise Power $200 million in its dispute with the Federal Government over the Mambilla project, and legal fees surrounding the repatriation of $321 million Abacha loot from Switzerland.
The former minister did not specify the exact issues for which he was invited but said he would continue to keep Nigerians informed “as developments unfold.”