*Vows Governorship Ambition Remains On Course
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Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of carrying out a politically motivated raid on his properties in Abuja, describing the operation as intimidating and unnecessary while vowing that the ongoing legal actions would not deter him from pursuing his governorship ambition.
Malami, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, spoke to reporters on Monday after EFCC operatives marked an Abuja property linked to him following an interim forfeiture order granted by a court, in an exercise that was captured in a viral two-minute video showing the former minister questioning operatives over the legality of their action.
Describing the manner in which the exercise was carried out, Malami said armed EFCC personnel descended on his residence and other properties under the guise of serving letters of invitation, but proceeded to harass his family members in the process.
“There were personnel that were fully kitted, fully armed, and very intimidating, harassing my immediate family members under the pretext that they came to serve letters of invitation,” Malami stated.
He added that the operatives did not limit the exercise to his residence alone but extended it to multiple houses and business premises linked to him.
The former AGF expressed surprise at the manner of execution, noting that the court had granted an order on January 6, 2026, relating to the future of his properties and that he had been given 14 days to respond — a timeline he said he fully complied with.
“To my knowledge, there was indeed a court order for the entry into my properties, but my person was given 14 days within which to respond. We have responded, joined issues before the court, and filed an application to have the order set aside,” Malami stated.
His argument centres on the position that having filed a challenge to the interim forfeiture order and with the matter now pending before the court, the EFCC ought not to have proceeded with marking his properties without a fresh or specific court directive.
Malami did not hold back in suggesting that the raid and the broader legal actions against him are driven by political considerations rather than genuine anti-corruption enforcement.
He pointed to his detention for over 99 days — which he described as contrary to the constitutionally tolerated 48 hours for persons charged to court — as evidence of what he called arbitrary treatment aimed at political intimidation.
“The insinuations associated with this unfolding drama honestly point to a clear direction of political motivation. A lot of people have come to show solidarity, arising from the view that the undertones of my detention in custody for over 99 days were arbitrary and point to political intimidation,” Malami stated.
The former minister also drew attention to the timing of the EFCC operation, noting that it came shortly after he received solidarity visits from prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, at his Maitama residence on Monday.
“Among the people who paid a courtesy and solidarity visit to my house today, the 23rd of March, were notable personalities, and shortly thereafter, the EFCC invaded my premises. This points to a possible calculation that the actions were politically motivated,” Malami stated.
The proximity of Atiku’s visit and the EFCC’s operation has fuelled speculation about whether the exercise was deliberately timed, though no official connection has been established.
Despite the mounting legal battles and the property marking exercise, Malami declared that he would not back down from his political ambitions, particularly his reported interest in the governorship of Kebbi State.
“The right to vote and be voted for is constitutional. I am a Nigerian, equally entitled to the enjoyment of those privileges. The idea of reconsidering my ambition associated with governorship is not on the table. It’s constitutional, and I will certainly exercise my constitutional right over it,” the former AGF stated.
The EFCC, through its spokesman Dele Oyewale, maintained that the property marking exercise followed a valid interim forfeiture order granted by a court and was a normal law enforcement procedure.
Oyewale stated that the marking was intended to notify the public about the status of the property following the forfeiture order, dismissing any suggestion that the operation was irregular or politically motivated.
With Malami’s legal team expected to challenge the marking exercise in court and the substantive money laundering trial, terrorism financing charges, and civil forfeiture proceedings all progressing simultaneously, the former Attorney-General’s legal battles remain among the most complex and closely watched in Nigeria’s anti-corruption landscape.
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