…‘This isn’t politics, you never met bail conditions’ — EFCC slams Malami

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has rejected allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that he operates 46 bank accounts and has links to recovered funds traced to the late military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha.

Malami’s response came as the EFCC insisted that his continued detention and investigation were based solely on unmet bail conditions and ongoing financial probes, dismissing claims of political persecution.

Speaking on behalf of the former minister, his media aide, Bello Doka, said the allegations were unfounded, stressing that Malami maintains only six bank accounts, all of which are known to the anti-graft agency.

“The EFCC knows his six bank accounts that are to his name; the allegations of operating six unlawful forty-six bank accounts are ridiculous and baseless, and for the record, the former minister has no hand in Abacha loot or any other recovery,” Doka said.

He added that Malami was not formally confronted with claims of operating 46 accounts during his interrogation and challenged the commission to substantiate its position publicly.

“Let them publish at least 23 accounts out of the so-called 46, representing 50 per cent of the alleged bank accounts,” he said, arguing that media statements alone were insufficient proof of wrongdoing.
Doka said Malami would continue to cooperate with investigators, while thanking supporters for standing by him amid the controversy.

The denial came against the backdrop of rising political reactions to Malami’s detention. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress, which Malami recently joined after leaving the All Progressives Congress, accused the EFCC of weaponising anti-corruption investigations for political ends.

In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku said the agency risked losing public confidence if it failed to “purge itself of partisan contamination”, warning that the anti-graft campaign was being perceived as a “political witch-hunt”.
He claimed the EFCC is “straying far from the noble principles” on which it was founded, alleging that the agency is now “weaponising its powers to serve narrow political agendas.”

He said, “The politicisation of corruption investigations has rendered the EFCC’s credibility suspect and rubbished the very ideals that inspired its establishment.”

The ADC also questioned the timing of Malami’s detention, linking it to his recent participation in political activities in Kebbi State, where he has declared interest in the 2027 governorship election. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said there was no evidence that Malami violated any bail conditions.

“From all available evidence, Malami did not violate any of the legal conditions attached to his initial bail,” Abdullahi said. “As a senior lawyer and former number one law officer in the country, he understands what it means to violate bail conditions.”

Responding, the EFCC restated that its actions had nothing to do with politics. In a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission said Malami was granted provisional administrative bail on November 28, 2025, subject to five conditions, none of which had been fulfilled.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, though not disposed to joining issues with respect to its operations in the media, is compelled to respond to the patently false claims of a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), about a purported revocation of his bail over attendance at a political gathering in Kebbi,” Oyewale said.

He explained that administrative bail is discretionary and temporary, pending the conclusion of investigations and possible arraignment. According to the EFCC, Malami was expected to report back on December 1, 2025, but requested an adjournment on health grounds in a letter dated December 4.

“The Commission compassionately granted his plea, even while his bail conditions had not been met,” Oyewale said.
The EFCC maintained that Malami’s detention was lawful and investigation-driven, adding that the commission remained apolitical and focused on concluding its probe into allegations, including money laundering, abuse of office and terrorism financing.

The President urged the former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority to be magnanimous in victory by embracing all party leaders and former aspirants.

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated a former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, on his emergence as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.

This was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday.

President Tinubu also praised the state chapter of the APC for the unity and spirit of reconciliation that preceded and also characterised the primary election conducted through affirmation.

He commended all the aspirants who graciously stepped down in favour of Oyebamiji, demonstrating party loyalty and a collective commitment to the APC’s ideals.

The President urges the former NIWA MD to be magnanimous in victory by embracing all party leaders and former aspirants.

He also urged him to ensure inclusivity and cohesion as the party moves forward in the political process.

“The journey to reclaim Osun State for the progressive fold in the 2026 governorship election has begun.

“I urge all members and leaders of APC in the state to remain focused, united, and resolute. Victory is achievable, and together, we will succeed,” the President was quoted as saying.

Oyebamiji was declared the winner of the party’s primary election held on Saturday.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, chaired the primary election in Osogbo, where party delegates unanimously affirmed Oyebamiji’s candidature, according to the presidential statement.

A former Ekiti lawmaker and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ayodele Arise, has urged President Bola Tinubu to consider the option of military action against Burkina Faso to secure the release of Nigerian soldiers currently being held in the West African country.

Arise made the call on Saturday while speaking as a guest on an Arise TV programme.

While acknowledging that the Nigerian Armed Forces are heavily engaged on the home front amid persistent insurgency and banditry, the senator insisted that a military option against Burkina Faso should not be ruled out.

Drawing from historical precedent, Arise recalled Israel’s 1976 Entebbe Raid in Uganda, arguing that decisive action could force a rethink by the Burkinabe authorities.

He said, “I think we should move and do something. As a matter of fact, once they are aware that we want to do that, I am sure that the man who is President there will have a rethink because they are our neighbours.

“Yes, we should be friendly with our neighbours, but at the same time we should let them know that they can’t be messing with our country.”

The former lawmaker, who represented Ekiti North in the Senate, also expressed support for the recent military intervention in the Republic of Benin aimed at quelling a coup attempt.

He dismissed suggestions that President Tinubu acted hastily or breached the Constitution by taking action before formally notifying the National Assembly.

Arise’s concerns came barely 24 hours after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that the 11 Nigerian military personnel detained following an emergency landing in Burkina Faso remain in custody.

Tuggar made the disclosure while speaking to journalists at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.

“We are discussing how we can resolve this delicate matter as quickly as possible, and we’re talking. So it’s something that is being handled diplomatically,” he said.

The minister also clarified that the Nigerian Air Force aircraft involved had no connection with Nigeria’s intervention in the recent military coup in Benin Republic.

The 11 military officers were aboard a C-130 aircraft that made an emergency landing in Bobo Dioulasso, in south-western Burkina Faso, and were subsequently arrested amid suspicion that they were involved in a rescue mission linked to the Benin coup.

However, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, claimed that the aircraft violated national procedures by entering the country’s airspace without authorisation.

Beyond regional security, Arise also weighed in on domestic legislative matters, particularly the Senate’s adoption of the ‘take-a-bow-and-go’ approach in screening ambassadorial nominees.

While he did not fault the procedure adopted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, he argued that more rigorous engagement during screenings would help lawmakers better assess the competence of nominees for sensitive diplomatic assignments.

He said, “There are two ways to look at that. It is either the President and the security agencies have done a good job of due diligence of the candidates, and the Senators have read their profiles, resumes, achievements and contributions to national development.

“It is a learning process because the fact that you are a Senator doesn’t mean that you know everything. So, the opportunity for engagement, information for people to know their professions and educating the Senators at large has been lost.”

“But many of us will prefer that the Senate ask questions. Let the nominees justify the nomination from Mr President because he himself can’t know every one of them. He is going to rely on the security report and the reference from those who work around him.”