From Victor Osula, Abuja
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of willfully disobeying a subsisting court order by continuing to detain him despite being granted bail by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
His media aide, Mohammed Bello Doka, noted that the court admitted the ex- AG to bail on December 23, 2025, after he had met all the required conditions.
According to the statement, officials of the anti-graft agency were duly served with the court-backed bail documents but allegedly refused to acknowledge them.
Malami further claimed that a court bailiff was chased away from the EFCC premises by officials who insisted on his continued detention.
The former minister described the EFCC’s actions as a “blatant disregard for the authority of the judiciary,” warning that no institution established by law has the power to place itself above binding judicial orders.
“No agency, no matter how powerful, is above the law,” Malami said.
Malami alleged that the EFCC has held him for more than 14 days without a formal arraignment, describing the situation as a violation of his constitutional rights.
He emphasised that the agency’s initial legal authority to hold him was based on a 14-day remand order that expired on Tuesday.
He argued that the EFCC was legally obligated to either release him or bring him before a court of competent jurisdiction, independent of the new bail order.
The statement also accused the EFCC of conducting a “media trial” by allegedly leaking selective information to the press to damage his reputation.
Malami reiterated his willingness to face any allegations in court but rejected what he termed “trial by detention, trial by media, and trial by political vendetta.”
This development comes just as the EFCC filed a 16-count charge against Malami, his son, and an associate at the Federal High Court in Abuja, bordering on alleged money laundering and the unlawful acquisition of properties valued at over N8.7 billion.
