The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced that an Abuja court has dismissed a summons for bail filed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, against his detention by the anti-graft agency.
The commission made this known in a circular issued on Thursday via its verified social media platforms.
In the circular, the EFCC stated: “Justice Babangida Hassan of Abuja FCT Court dismissed summons for bail filed by Malami against EFCC.”
According to the anti-graft agency, the development followed proceedings before the Federal Capital Territory court in Abuja, where Justice Babangida Hassan declined the application seeking bail.
The EFCC did not provide further details on the grounds of the ruling in the circular but maintained that the court had dismissed the summons for bail.
The announcement adds to a series of legal and investigative actions involving the former justice minister, who has recently been under scrutiny by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
It was previously reported that multiple petitions submitted to the EFCC accused Malami of involvement in an alleged $16.9 million legal fees scam linked to the recovery of the late Sani Abacha loot, as well as money laundering, abuse of office, and the accumulation of assets reportedly far beyond his legitimate earnings.
Court documents and petitions reviewed by the media indicate that these allegations underpin an application filed by the EFCC before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking an order to remand Malami and one of his associates, Temitope Isaac Adebayo, in EFCC custody for 14 days pending further investigation.
In the ex parte motion and accompanying affidavit deposed by an EFCC investigator, the anti-graft agency stated that it had received multiple petitions against Malami from various organisations, including the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Karlos Community Development and Empowerment Initiative, and Grassroot Advocacy for Peace and Good Governance (GAPAG).
According to the EFCC, preliminary investigations arising from the petitions allege that while serving as the nation’s chief law officer, Malami authorised and facilitated the payment of $16.9 million in legal fees to two individuals described as “new lawyers” for the recovery of funds traced to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
The petitions further claim that the services for which the fees were paid had already been completed by foreign legal counsel previously engaged and fully compensated by the Federal Government, rendering the fresh payments unnecessary and fraudulent.
Malami has also alleged that EFCC operatives carried out coordinated raids on his offices and private residences shortly after his camp publicly referenced Chapter 9 of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report.
In a press release issued on Wednesday and signed by Mohammed Bello Doka, Special Assistant on Media to Malami, Malami’s office said EFCC’s action occurred “immediately after the release of our statement addressing Chapter 9 of the Salami Report.”
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