ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday interrogated former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) under fresh scrutiny over alleged irregularities dating from his time in office. After hours of questioning, Malami was released on bail — on the condition that he produce two permanent-secretary–level civil servants as sureties.
Sources told Dalena Reporters that Malami was in detention overnight pending his ability to meet the bail conditions. By Saturday morning, the required sureties had reportedly been provided, and he was granted bail.
The EFCC had formally invited the former AGF following a series of investigative reports alleging abuses of office — including the controversial handling of contract awards, asset-recovery deals and back-door payments to third-party contractors during his tenure. One prominently cited case involves a disputed allocation of US $159 million in legal fees to a lawyer allegedly not authorised to represent the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the Paris Club refund case.
In a public statement ahead of the interrogation, Malami described himself as “a law-abiding citizen and patriot,” pledging full cooperation with the EFCC to clarify issues raised during the probe.
The EFCC has not yet disclosed the full scope of its line of questioning against Malami — or whether the bail conditions imply expectation of reinstated investigation or the eventual filing of formal charges. Observers say the outcome of this inquiry could trigger broader scrutiny of financial-management practices during the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari, under whose administration Malami served.
Dalena Reporters will continue to follow the story, tracking any further developments, official EFCC statements, and potential implications for governance and accountability reforms in Nigeria.