Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has raised serious alarm over what his office describes as deliberate efforts by security agencies to undermine his constitutional rights to fair hearing and effective legal representation.
In a strongly worded statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, Malami accused the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of coordinated actions that allegedly violated a valid court order and obstructed his preparation for an ongoing interim forfeiture proceeding before the Federal High Court.
Truth Live News reports that the statement detailed that the EFCC delayed submitting Malami’s international passports to the court for approximately one week, despite these documents being essential for perfecting his bail conditions. This delay, it claimed, unnecessarily prolonged his detention and hindered the execution of the court’s bail order.
Following his eventual release from the Kuje Custodial Centre after perfecting bail, Malami was reportedly rearrested by the DSS and held for five days. During this period, he was allegedly denied access to his lawyers and family, only being permitted to meet his legal team on Friday after prolonged isolation.
Doka emphasized that the timing of the detention severely impaired Malami’s ability to consult with counsel and issue instructions at a critical juncture in his defence against the EFCC’s interim forfeiture application.
“The sequence of events suggests a pattern where arrest precedes investigation, with evidence sought after detention,” Doka alleged in the statement.
He further warned of broader implications for judicial authority, “The Office stresses that bail granted by a court must have meaning. No agency should be permitted to neutralise judicial orders through coordinated delays, rearrests, or denial of access to legal representation.”
The office described these actions as violations of fundamental rights and a serious threat to the rule of law, insisting that such practices erode public confidence in state institutions.
Malami’s team reaffirmed his readiness to defend himself in court and urged all relevant agencies to uphold court orders, constitutional guarantees, and the principles of justice.
The allegations come amid Malami’s ongoing legal battles linked to the EFCC, highlighting tensions between anti-corruption agencies and high-profile figures in Nigeria’s justice system.
Neither the DSS nor EFCC had issued a public response to the claims at the time of publication.
