Again, EFCC Re-arrests Abubakar Malami.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has once again detained Nigeria’s former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), just days after his initial questioning by the anti-graft agency.
Sources confirmed that Malami was arrested late Monday night and was reportedly struggling to meet the strict bail conditions set by the EFCC that same night.
Investigations showed that Malami was actively seeking two serving permanent secretaries to act as sureties, which is a key requirement for meeting the bail conditions for his release.
“EFCC arrested Abubakar Malami again; he was looking for two Permanent Secretaries for bail conditions on Monday night,” a source close to the investigation disclosed.
This marks Malami’s second detention in rapid succession. He had initially responded to an EFCC invitation on Friday, November 28, to clarify specific issues. He was granted bail but was almost compelled to spend the night in custody due to the conditions.
Malami later confirmed his release from his first detention, stating on his official X handle, “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.”
The re-arrest occurs amid Malami’s vocal dismissal of the core allegations leveled against him by the EFCC, which focus on the recovery of the $310 million (later $322.5 million with interest) Sani Abacha loot.
Malami rejected the EFCC’s claims that he “duplicated” a recovery process allegedly completed by Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini before Malami took office in 2015.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, Malami described the EFCC’s claims as “baseless, illogical, and devoid of substance.”
Monfrini himself applied in December 2016 to be re-engaged for the same recovery, which Malami argued contradicts the idea that the process was already complete.
Malami insisted he saved the Nigerian state between 15% (76.8 billion at an average ₦1,600/ rate) and 35% ($179.2 billion) of the recovered amount by rejecting Monfrini’s demand for a 20-40% success fee and a $5 million upfront deposit, instead opting for a local law firm on a transparent 5% success fee basis.
Malami concluded that “any claim or investigation suggesting abuse of office or money laundering in relation to the $322.5 million is not rooted in any reasonable ground for suspicion.”
