The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami’s (SAN) offices and private residences in Abuja and Kebbi State.
Mohammed Doka, Malami’s communications aide, confirmed the raids in a statement on Wednesday.
According to Doka, the raid occurred shortly after Malami’s office publicly referred to Chapter 9 of the Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report.
Doka stated the raid was to seize Chapter 9 of the report.
He accused the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of bias and asked for his recusal from situations involving him.
He called the raids’ timing and scope disturbing, raising concerns about the motivation, legality, and aim of the action.
The Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry was constituted by the Federal Government in 2021 to investigate charges of corruption, abuse of authority, and misuse of recovered assets inside the EFCC, particularly under former EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu.
In November 2021, the panel presented its report to the Presidency. Nevertheless, the document has mostly gone unpublished, with only a few portions cited in official and media contexts.
Chapter 9 of the report has turned into a point of contention, as it reportedly includes findings and recommendations concerning the roles of senior government officials, including Malami, while he served as the supervising minister of the EFCC.
Recently, Malami’s office referenced the chapter’s contents to contest the neutrality of the existing EFCC leadership and officially requested that the chairman withdraw from any inquiry or process related to the former AGF.
In response to the raids, Malami’s team labeled the situation as “deeply concerning,” claiming it represented intimidation and retribution after the public demand for recusal.
The statement alerted that Malami and his team’s safety had been jeopardized and informed Nigerians and the global community of any possible danger stemming from what it characterized as a concerning trend of behavior.
Malami’s office additionally urged the EFCC to explain the legal grounds for searches reportedly focused on a particular section of a judicial commission report, questioning the lack of adherence to due process if the investigation was legitimate and impartial.
In light of the controversy, the former AGF urged civil society organizations, professional associations, and human rights groups to pressure the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to publish the complete Justice Ayo Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report, especially Chapter 9.
The statement suggests that releasing the report would enhance transparency, bolster accountability, and rebuild public trust in current anti-corruption initiatives.
Reiterating his stance, Malami expressed his readiness to present himself in a fair and legal manner before a proper court, emphasizing that raids and media trials cannot replace due process and adherence to the law.
At the time of submitting this report, the EFCC had not provided an official statement regarding the allegations related to the raids.
