EFCC Interrogates Malami, Releases Him On Strict Bail Terms

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday questioned former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over several issues linked to his time in office. The interrogation took place in Abuja, where he was held for hours before being released on bail after meeting the conditions set by the agency.

Sources confirmed that Malami remained in EFCC custody late into Friday night because he needed two top-level civil servants to stand for him. The officials were eventually provided, allowing him to leave custody on Saturday morning.

Before the questioning, Malami announced on his Facebook page that he had been invited by the EFCC to respond to certain concerns. He told Nigerians he would obey the invitation and said he had always worked with honesty and accountability throughout his public service career.

Malami has faced long-standing allegations of corruption and misuse of office, though he has not been formally charged. Several reports had accused him of approving questionable payments and supporting deals that raised public suspicion.

One major case involved Dr. Ted Iseghahi Edwards, who was linked to the Paris Club refund matter. Documents previously obtained by SaharaReporters showed that Edwards did not represent the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria as he claimed. A letter from former EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu to the Ministry of Justice accused Edwards of attempting to defraud the government.

Despite this, Malami reportedly encouraged then-President Muhammadu Buhari to approve large payments, including $159 million in legal fees to Edwards. Sources said the Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office later acted on this approval by releasing promissory notes.

Investigations also revealed that other legal practitioners and groups, including the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, returned to court to challenge the payments. They claimed that Edwards was not the rightful lawyer in the case, and that his involvement could lead to double payment and financial loss to the country.

Those familiar with the matter said Malami and the former Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, worked directly with the presidency to push for the release of funds, even when concerns around fraud had been raised.

The total amount connected to the controversial promissory notes was about $418 million. Critics argued that advancing such payments would deepen the country’s financial troubles and weaken the government’s anti-corruption efforts.

Malami’s interrogation by the EFCC comes as part of broader scrutiny of actions taken during his tenure. His case may continue to unfold as investigators review past decisions and payments approved under his office.